Complete
by Kazeshina Penn
Summary: A connection between two separate souls and a connection between two souls that are the same differ greatly. While two different souls can fill each other's emptiness, only two same souls can complete each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Complete**

**Summary: Kurogane has lost the stability in his life that kept things into a balance. Fai has escaped from what causes fear in his every moment. Matched up to complete each other's needs, their ideas and wants differ greatly, but each with an emptiness to fill, they complete each other.**

**Disclaimer: CLAMP owns TRC, not little old me.**

**Some Background Info: This story supposedly takes place in 1920-30 England, where the police department consists of pairs, an officer, who deals mainly with physical combat, and their assistant, usually a magician, who can take out an enemy while they aren't looking. More background on Fai's needs will be revealed, as well as Kurogane's odd attachment to Tomoyo. Read and Enjoy!**

* * *

The girl ran around the corner, her feet ignoring commands to be careful in the icy chase. The culprit was getting away. She rubbed her freezing palms together as she sprinted, attempting to charge up any magic she could muster. One successful bolt could catch the man. She knew her partner was right on the enemy's tail, hounding him and making him careless. He wouldn't be looking to dodge an attack, he'd be looking for an escape. It was a perfect combination. Everything she and Kurogane did was a perfect combination.

She rounded another corner, she saw the robber, Kurogane clearing away from him so that Tomoyo could send a bolt straight into the man's back. She rubbed her palms together once more before thrusting them forward and letting a considerable bolt loose. She barely had any strength, and the rebound from her attack sent her flying back ward, before getting her ankles caught on the rough ice. She twisted and spun across the street, slamming spine first into the curb of the opposite sidewalk.

Instantly, her neck ached, and her head pounded. She heard footsteps running toward her, lifting her up, and pulling her high in the air.

"You got him, Tomoyo. He's being cuffed as we speak. Are you okay?" Kurogane asked.

Tomoyo went to open her mouth and say she was fine, but the lack of movement from her mouth told her that she clearly wasn't. She tried again, and her lips parted slightly, but only a puff of air escaped, and nothing more.

"You aren't okay, then. We're getting you to the doctor right away. If you were running low on fuel you shouldn't have shot that blast. Why would you do that?"

Tomoyo took in a deep breath, managing to say one word.

"...Sorry..."

* * *

Long, pale fingers brushed over bare, pale skin. The blonds' hair stood on end as the larger man slid his coat off. The larger, dark haired man chuckled deeply as his younger prisoner trembled nervously. He brushed his fingers over the blonds' face, then down his thin shirt, attempting to slide it off.

"You're nervous, Fai...I thought you would have been accustomed to this."

He stroked Fai's arms until he reached the chains that connected him to the cool, concrete wall. Fai gasped, attempting to back away from Ashura, but there was nowhere to go. There was never anywhere to go. He closed his eyes, hoping not to see the man before him.

"Come now, Fai. We've been doing this for years, why can't you like it just a bit for once?"

"P-Please don't..." Fai whispered in fear.

Ashura backed away slightly, inspecting Fai's trembling expression, his head turned to be as far from Ashura's as possible, his eyes closed. He laughed in the blonds' discomfort. He quickly grasped Fai's face, sliding his tongue across his jaw bone.

"I'll be right back, after I get something to eat. Think of me while I'm gone," Ashura smirked before going back to the stairs that led to the main part of his house, leaving Fai in chilling silence.

It was time. There had been one thing that Fai had that Ashura hadn't yet revealed. He had been working on the chain on his right hand for months, and it was practically ready to break. He sprung his leg up and shattered it, holding his raw, pink wrist to his shirt. He brought the weak hand to his left, rubbing them together, making the magic charged and static on his palm. He took in one last deep breath before holding his right hand to the left chain, and letting it evaporate.

He look sorrowfully at his body. He was nothing but skin and bones, his skin a ghastly grey-white, his wrists practically worn down to the bone. He attempted to jog to the window, but his legs could barely carry the light weight of his sickly body.

He rubbed his palms together once more, this time channeling the energy to the window across the room. It disappeared quickly, and Fai began to weakly make his way to it. He heard Ashura sit down for lunch.

_I have time..._

The window was high off the ground, and Fai knew he had no way of lifting himself to its height. He worked the same disintegrating magic down the wall, giving himself a large doorway into the snowy air.

Tears welled in his eyes as he felt snow prickle against his skin for the first time in five years. His lips were blue, his eyes purple underneath. He knew he had no money of any sorts, and no way to eat, but he had the magic, and that was enough to make his new life.

He looked back at the mansion he had stepped out of, before grinning solemnly and moving forward.

* * *

"Injured?" Kurogane asked, fiercely.

"Yes. She can barely moved her body, and her spine is fractured. She has a minor concussion, and multiple other broken bones. We'll be lucky if she even recovers, let alone comes back to be your partner. You'll have to find a replacement magician," the doctor snapped.

"Tomoyo, can you speak?"

The dark haired girl turned her head painfully to look her partner in his crimson eyes, before letting his lips part slightly.

"I...can't...return," she uttered in broken gasps.

Kurogane's eyes widened. He had never even thought of the possibilities of having to find another magician to replace his partner. He and Tomoyo had been working together for nearly five years, without error once. What had happened to make this mission her last, he didn't know. Everything was going normally. He would scare the enemy into making mistakes, and when they were looking away, Tomoyo would eliminate them from behind.

This time, her own magic was too much for her, and the icy street definitely didn't help. Kurogane threw a nearby table onto its side, the glass vase set on it shattering against the ground.

"This is your fault," he roared at Tomoyo. Her eyes widened, tears settling on her eyelid. "If you hadn't been reckless...you _knew_ you were weak, yet you did it anyway! And now I have to find a new partner!"

"Your...new...partner," Tomoyo began before coughing. She gestured for Kurogane to come closer. "Protect...him."

"Him? How do you know it'll..."

"I...know..." she huffed, before coughing incessantly.

The doctor escorted Kurogane from the room, letting the nurses slip in, and closing the door behind them. He glared at the large officer before him, frowning.

"That scene you pulled in there is only going to make her condition worse, you know," the doctor snapped. "She's going to worry constantly. I just hope you visit often, because, if you don't, her anxiety may kill her."

Kurogane rolled his eyes, sweeping away from the doctor in a fit of rage, slamming shut every open door on his way down the hall and shooting murderous glares at anyone who even attempted speaking to him.

* * *

The large, dark officer watched the blond let off attack after attack, hitting the targets with perfect precision, and using almost no time to charge his attacks. The magician was unhealthily pale, and thin, his eyes dark, and his wrists a sick shade of pink, like they had been rubbed raw for years.

"He's not in a near good enough condition to do what Tomoyo and I did on a daily basis. He looks like he's going to fold in half if we aren't careful with him. Why on Earth would you even show him to me?" Kurogane huffed.

"Well, he's definitely an extremely skilled magician," one advisor whispered to the officer beside him.

"Not to mention his stamina, considering his state of health. Imagine the massive amount of power he'll possess once he's at full health!" a female advisor declared, staring intently at the blond.

"But he isn't at full health _now._ I don't approve."

"You have no choice," said a low, woman's voice from behind them.

Kurogane turned to look at his superior officer, Yuuko. She smirked, pulling her extremely long black hair into a ponytail. Her two small dogs yapped at her ankles, one black, one white. From what the large man had gathered, she called them both Mokona. Her bashful assistant, Watanuki, stood at her side, clipboard plastered to his chest.

"And why do I have no choice?" Kurogane sighed. He knew that he would be stuck with the sickly man.

"Because I have already rejected all other applicants, and hired him for you. I wasn't asking for your approval, Kurogane, I was only seeing what your first impression was."

Kurogane glanced at the pale man, still casting bolt of magic at targets. His light hair was coated in sweat, and his arms and legs were trembling. Yuuko motioned for an advisor to stop the man before he killed himself. She smiled with a fake sweetness at the battle worn officer, before departing, her long, eccentric skirt trailing across the grass.

"Come on, magician," Kurogane grunted.

Fai looked at his new partner cautiously. While others had been watching his purposefully over the top magic, this man had been watching his odd condition. He was more observant than Fai would have liked.

He slapped his cheeks and rubbed his arms roughly, attempting to bring some color to his pale grey skin. e ran his fingers through his sweat soaked hair frantically as Kurogane turned around.

"Just so you know, I'm not stupid. For whatever reason you don't want anyone to acknowledge the fact that you're death on legs, it's not my business. My partner will be back on her feet soon, and you'll be out. I will not refer to you as my partner, and I will not teach you any maneuvers. You will do as you're told, and you will stay out of my way as much as your weak little body can handle. Understand?" Kurogane explained coolly.

"I have one favor to ask of you. On our first mission, please let our enemy kill me. Obviously you're a good, strong man. Don't let someone like me hold you back," Fai smiled grimly.

Kurogane stared at his partner skeptically. It wasn't a method others had used to get on his good side before. Usually they tried to flatter him, or tell him all the great things they'd done, or something of that matter, but not the sickly magician before him.

"Obviously you were very attached to your previous partner. She'll be coming back soon I gather, so I won't interfere. I simply want to come to eternal rest. I thought, of all the officers I could try to join, you'd be the most willing to let a stranger go," Fai chuckled.

"That's right. I'll handle whatever we're up against, you just run and get in the way," Kurogane said darkly, testing the magician. If he were sincere in his belief, he would be surprised by Kurogane's automatic decision, if he was trying to get the large officer in trouble, he would act as if all was normal.

"So, you're still thinking about it then, Officer Kurogane...that is your name right? Obviously you haven't come to a decision that quickly, so it's alright, continue considering. I can make it look like there is nothing you could have done."

Kurogane grunted before turning and motioning for the magician to follow him. Fai smiled, trailing at his new partner's heels. The less he talked to the officer, the better. The more he could get on his nerves, the more willing he'd be to let the blond slip into eternal rest, without any questions. How else was he supposed to escape the inevitable? Death was always the only answer. It was a lesson Fai had learned well.

"This is our house," Kurogane mumbled as they stepped out of the carriage.

Fai stepped out unsteadily, catching the side of the cart for support. Kurogane made no indication he had noticed, and continued walking up the hill. Fai chuckled to himself, bracing up and continuing to walk. He knew that the officer was aware of the difficulty Fai would face climbing the hill, yet he didn't assist the magician at all.

Kurogane stood, towering in the entry way to the home. He was clearly waiting for his unhealthy new partner to catch up to him. Fai finally reached the entry way, huffing and wiping sweat from his brow. He didn't need the officer's sympathy, though. All he needed was the officer's cold heart.

"This is your room on the left. Mine is on the right. If you come into my room, I'll skin you alive. There's money here in this room to purchase food. I'm going out, don't wait around," Kurogane shrugged, not once looking at his companion.

He slid out the door, walking into nowhere. Fai looked around the small house. His room on the left, he thought. He slipped inside, taking it in. How long had it been since he'd had a room of his own? It would pain him to let all of this go, but death was more inviting than life. Ashura would be looking for him, and he couldn't ever risk Ashura finding him.

He needed to leave the world of the living, and soon. His eyes slid from his own, blank, empty room to the door across the entry room, to the shut door on the other side. He _was_ feeling awfully tired.

* * *

Kurogane pressed the door back open, after having visited Tomoyo. He was altogether disappointed that she had merely been sleeping. He had to tell her all about the trouble she'd caused by being injured, and the obnoxious partner she'd stuck him with. Speaking of which, the tall officer couldn't seem to locate the magician. It shouldn't have been too hard. In his condition, there was no way he could have left the house.

"Magician, where the hell are you?" he called through the house.

He opened the door to Fai's room, looking around. The bed was made perfectly, the lights off, shoes on the floor. He look truly baffled for a moment, before heat rose from his feet to his temples.

_That bastard..._

He stormed into his own room, to see the magician lounging across his bed, staring up at Kurogane.

"Oh, Kuro-puu, you're home!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

"If you value your life, you will get out..."

"Well, you see, I don't, really..." Fai chuckled.

Kurogane's anger settled for a moment, surprise waving over him. The magician was serious about dying. It confused him to no end how a human being could be so eager to end their only time on Earth. If he had been given the chance to become a magician for the government and salvage his disgusting life, he would've taken it and never let go.

"Out."

Fai smiled before departing, as he passed his partner, he blew him a kiss, and began humming an oddly delightful tune. Kurogane slammed the door behind him, inspecting his room. All of his things had been cast around, and his bed was a mess.

A bird flew onto the officer's windowsill, a piece of tainted parchment in its petite mouth. Kurogane took it delicately before sending the bird away. He opened it cautiously, ensuring that Fai hadn't sent him some sort of practical joke. He was beginning to regret his position as officer more and more every day.

"_Officer Kurogane and Asst. Fai, a report of a man with weapons and mal intent has been documented downtown on the corner of Fourth and Lilac. Please report immediately, and take care of things swiftly and with little damage._

_Yuuko."_

Before Fai's name, Tomoyo was visibly scratched out. He had thought the letter would look unnatural with Fai's name on it, but Fai's name looked rather remarkable on a stained piece of paper. So naturally, Kurogane would never show it to the magician. No matter how 'natural' it looked, Fai didn't belong, and it would Kurogane's honor to let him fall.

"What was that, Kuro-rin?" Fai asked, peeking around the doorframe.

"Cut that stupid nicknames, magician. If you want to die so badly, we'll take care of that in a moment. We have a criminal to take care of. Make sure this is what you want to do. If you get yourself in a considerable amount of trouble, and suddenly have a change of heart, I'm not putting my own life in danger to save that pitiful mess you call yours," Kurogane said firmly.

"No changes in heart, whatsoever," Fai grinned.

- - -

The two made their way down the hill, Fai rambling on about an obviously fabricated childhood story. He referred to Kurogane with the incessant nicknames, driving his partner to insanity with each one. They got into the carriage, as Kurogane read the directions to the driver.

"Ah, you must be Officer Kurogane's new assistant, Fai?" the driver asked with a smile.

At his name, Fai's expression became solemn and chillingly dark, before flashing back to his normal smile.

"You got it, that's me," he chuckled.

Kurogane stared at the magicians face, watching for odd expressions like before, but there were none. Fai turned his head to catch Kurogane's stare in surprise.

"Oh! Kuro-puu, you flatter me. I'm not _that_ beautiful," Fai said, batting his eyelashes.

"More like disgusting," Kurogane retorted, sitting back in his seat. That wasn't a normal expression he'd caught, and he'd figure it out later. Or would he? He had to remind himself that this would be it. The last time he saw the blond magician.

Fai sat back as well, looking out the window. Sweat was accumulating at the base of his neck as he worried over his fate. It was his final decision, he reminded himself. He couldn't stay around Kurogane much longer either. The officer had seen his reaction to the driver's mention of his name. He couldn't let anything else slip up, or Kurogane's curiosity would prevent him from simply allowing the magician to die.

"Here we are you two!" the driver chirped, opening their doors for them.

"Thank you, sir!" Fai sang to the man.

"Any day, Fai!"

This time, Fai smiled and waved, not a single bad vibe escaping his body. He wouldn't give Kurogane the pleasure of knowing anything. He could have his partner back, and Fai could achieve what he'd longed for years.

- - -

After minutes of waiting for an appearance, a shrill scream pierced the warm afternoon air, making the atmosphere feel like ice.

Kurogane realized that Fai simply wasn't going to be able to keep up like Tomoyo did. He grabbed Fai's elbow, attempting to run forward, but Fai ripped his arm away with a yelp. The larger officer froze in his tracks, before bolting off on his own.

"If you want to get it done, you'll have to catch up. I'm not waiting for anyone," Kurogane called back.

Fai bit his chilled lip, watching the officer sprint ahead faster than any he'd seen before. It was obvious he couldn't catch Kurogane on foot. On top of that, it wasn't Kurogane he wanted to catch. He had let another piece of his image crumble with his reaction to physical contact.

He did have one thing other magicians didn't though. All magicians could deconstruct and send electric currents, but none that he knew of other than himself could reconstruct and make something out of nothing.

He rubbed his palms together rapidly, letting the reconstructed ground carry him over the building tops. He felt the energy draining from his core. If he planned it perfectly, he could land before his enemy, completely empty of energy. It would be an easy kill, and it would look like Fai was simply inexperienced, with no suspicion about his death.

He saw Kurogane hot on the man's tail. When the officer looked up, he was caught off guard at first, before realizing what the plan was. He gave an aggravated nod, pausing in his pursuit and letting the magician carry on forward.

As planned, Fai landed perfectly before the robber, with not even a drop of energy to move.

"I guess I'm out, then. No catching you, then," Fai smiled grimly to the thief.

The thief's color returned to his dirt-caked face, as he looked around in disbelief. He pulled out a knife, holding it close to Fai's throat.

"Where's your partner, magician?" he asked harshly.

"I suppose I told him I could handle this myself, my mistake..."

The thief smirked. He stamped down on Fai's legs, and felt the brittle bones snap. Fai yelped slightly, but knew that death would be his shortly. Just pressing through the pain a little longer would lead him to the eternal rest he wanted more than anything on Earth.

* * *

Kurogane leaned against a wall, his head throbbing from all the strange current events. Was he really with a different partner? Was his new partner really a frail young man? Was he really letting him just die?

"_Your...new...partner...protect him..."_

Tomoyo's breathy words still echoed in the back of his mind. She had known who his new partner would be, she had indicated it was a male. And something about the last two words struck a gaping hole in his chest. _Protect him..._

"Dammit!" Kurogane muttered to himself, rushing around the corner.

* * *

Fai felt his other leg snap. All four of his limbs were shattered under the thief's boot. Finally, the filthy man leaned over the magician, knife glaring against his throat.

"I've always wanted to kill one of you bastards," the thief muttered. "I mean really kill you, not just stab you through the heart. I want you to feel it."

Fai closed his eyes. The pain was absolutely excruciating, ringing white hot through his aching limbs. He couldn't move, not at all. He didn't regret it though. He pressed any will to live from his mind. _Please Fai...die happy._

Hot liquid splashed against his face, and his eyes sprung open. Kurogane was standing over him, casting the body of the thief off from his blade and away from them. He looked blaringly into the magicians eyes, the sun casting him into a silhouette.

Fai could do nothing but stare, wide-eyed at his partner, heart frozen, breath not coming to him naturally.

"W-Why?" he gasped.

"Because you have some questions to answer. No one as seriously screwed up as you gets to go on and die without telling me what the hell's going on, got that?" Kurogane chuckled, grabbing the magician by his shirt and casting him over his broad back.

"I didn't want this. I wanted to die back there. I was ready to die."

"Yeah, well, I guess that sucks for you, magician, because I wasn't ready for you to die, and you agreed that you do what I say. It was a pretty good go, though. I almost let you off the hook."

Fai smiled lightly, wondering what it was that changed his partner's heart back there, and if, maybe, his time to pass on hadn't come yet. He looked upward at the sky, wondering what it was the fates had planned for his miserable excuse for existence. He truly was a disgusting being, incapable of even dying.

_Must I live forever with this weight on my heart, brother?_

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed chapter one. Please Read and Review, feedback is always helpful!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Complete**

**Summary: Kurogane has lost the stability in his life that kept things into a balance. Fai has escaped from what causes fear in his every moment. Matched up to complete each other's needs, their ideas and wants differ greatly, but each with an emptiness to fill, they complete each other.**

**Disclaimer: CLAMP owns TRC, not little old me..**

**Some Background Info: This story supposedly takes place in 1920-30 England, where the police department consists of pairs, an officer, who deals mainly with physical combat, and their assistant, usually a magician, who can take out an enemy while they aren't looking. More background on Fai's needs will be revealed, as well as Kurogane's odd attachment to Tomoyo.. Read and Enjoy!**

* * *

"Let me get this straight then," Kurogane grunted. "You can reconstruct, too?"

Fai slid his hand up his leg, feeling the bones shift and slide together, before one last crunch melded them into a fully healed state. He repeated the process on his other leg, feeling the same, painful sensation.

"Yes," Fai smiled, wincing as his legs stung all over.

"So can't you make yourself a little healthier? You look awful."

Fai looked over his dreadfully thin, pale body. True, he looked awful, and he could easily fix it. He could restore himself, but the body he was in was a reminder of what he had to get done. At least, what he had to do if he couldn't die. A chill crept over the magician's spine, causing him to arch his back slightly before leaning back into the wall of the hospital. He let his strained neck rest a moment.

"Is this where your questions begin, Kuro-pii?" Fai asked lightly. "No, I can't make myself healthier. I'm actually perfectly healthy now."

Kurogane also leaned back, crossing his arms. So this was where it began, he thought. The magician could easily restore his body if he wanted to. Anyone who could effortlessly mend their own bones, could restore themselves. The only question was, why didn't he want to?

"What you do isn't a concern of mine. But if your health prohibits me from being successful on missions, that does concern me."

"You seem to have everything handled on your own. You didn't need me this last time."

The two looked into each other's stares. It wasn't partnership, it was a stalemate. One or the other would win in the end, but unrelenting stubbornness would be an issue. Kurogane shifted from his seat, leaving the room without a word. One flight of stairs and a hallway later, he found himself at Tomoyo's door.

Stepping inside, he found her, staring at the ceiling, mind wandering. She caught his presence immediately, and smiled warmly.

"Tomoyo, are you doing well?" he asked, masking his impatience.

"He...isn't that...bad, is he?" Tomoyo choked, completely brushing Kurogane's question away.

"Did you see him before I met him?"

Tomoyo nodded with strain. She had seen him, but not with her previous partner, but in a cellar like place, alone, cold, and dying without death. The whole of his person was without death. With her ability, Tomoyo could sense the whole of other people, and with that, she could see birth fading in their souls, and death growing. With the blond magician, though, she sensed neither birth nor death. It was troubling.

"So you know what an ass he is, then?" Kurogane spat.

"You have to...be patient, Kurogane. Have you...done as...you promised?" she asked softly.

"I don't recall what I promised, so I doubt it."

Kurogane knew full well what she was talking about. She was referring to his promise to protect Fai. Of course he'd done it, but it wouldn't help his case that Fai was completely unbearable if he told her he'd saved him after being _asked_ to let him die. Tomoyo chuckled to herself, just loud enough for Kurogane to hear. Her chuckle lead to a harsh cough, and nurses rushed in to assist her, shouting at Kurogane to leave her be. '_You're troubling her enough!'_

Like a punch to the stomach, he simply nodded and left. I'm troubling her enough, he thought. He wandered, not going anywhere in particular, just walking to walk. Maybe he didn't want to walk? He didn't really know what he was doing, he simply walked, to let himself think about his predicament.

Fai was suspicious. He was a liar, and in no condition to be at the level he was, yet he was the only choice to fill in for Tomoyo. On top of that, it didn't look like Tomoyo was coming back any time soon. If at all.

_If at all?_

* * *

Fai watched the officer depart from his room in a march. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. He hadn't wanted this. He didn't want to live. He had hoped that that was it. That he could just simply die. Or maybe he wanted to die with more dignity. With the amount of years he'd lived, his pride and standards cast away, maybe he wanted a death of redemption, not just to fall to an everyday thief.

His legs still ached, and he'd have to explain to the doctors that his legs were never really broken, because explaining his magic would be quite troublesome. Silence settled in around the room. Did he have this affect on everything? It seemed like every time he got involved in anything, it ended in lonesome silence.

He wanted to let Kurogane work with Tomoyo, and to just disappear, truly, but it was impossible. While the officer was strong, he wasn't truly _strong_. He had beaten emotion and concern down into the back of his mind, and let himself become physically stronger than anyone Fai had ever seen. But he hadn't yet grasped strength. Fai himself hadn't acquired either traits of strength. He had nothing admirable in him.

There was a knocking at his door. _'Kurogane come back to argue more?'_

A wheelchair rounded the doorframe, a petite girl leaned into it. The magical aura she gave off immediately revealed her identity.

'_So this is Tomoyo?'_

The nurses that wheeled her into the room left immediately. Silence pulsed around the two. Fai neither knew why she had come, or even how she knew who he was. He didn't know if she would lecture him for his rashness, or ask him to do her a favor, or simply talk, but he knew he felt uneasy in her presence. She seemed to give off a feeling of royalty. Somewhat princess-like.

"Hello....Fai," she whispered.

"You must be Tomoyo. Kurogane talks of you much," Fai said with a feigned smile.

"You don't need to fake...anything around me," she smiled. "I know...you well enough."

Fai smiled. A dream seer, he thought. Well, that made a difference. He supposed he couldn't really mask anything around the girl. He simply wondered to what extent she'd seen. If she'd seen everything...He couldn't bear the thought of his soul, his life, being played out to such a young, innocent, _stranger._

"I've only...seen you once...in my dreams. You looked...like you...were going to die...but I also noticed that...your aura of death...does not exist."

Fai's heart felt as if ice gripped it. She more than simply a dream seer. She could see his auras. It wasn't good. Nothing was going well. Had she told Kurogane what she'd seen? If she had, well, the magician simply didn't know. So many horrible things could happen if he knew. Fai could be left without anything, again. No one to assist him to his goal. Or, maybe Kurogane would hate him. He questioned his mind again.

_Wasn't it you who wanted him to hate you, Fai?_

"You do not have to explain it to me," she smiled. "I do not need to know."

"Thank you," Fai sighed. "Are you feeling alright? I never heard what happened to you, only that you were badly injured."

"You often try to redirect the conversation away from yourself. Oh, and thank you for using you magic for making speaking easier for me," the girl grinned.

Again, Fai felt shocked. She had noticed? She noticed everything, He had never met someone with such insight into everything.

"You knew you would get injured before you did, didn't you? Yet you still fought," Fai thought aloud.

"Something like that, I suppose. I wanted to tell you, that your life is more valuable than you give it credit for. You want to give it up. You want to die. I understand this, but you must believe me when I say it's vital to more people than yourself that you remain among the living. It would be a terrible misfortune if you passed."

"You are much stronger and wiser than I, Tomoyo," Fai stated.

She knew all of this, and gave no signs of being troubled by it. Her will itself was monstrous, he thought. _No wonder Kurogane is disappointed to be stuck with me, look at what a partner he had._

Tomoyo smiled again. "You need not compare yourself with me, Fai." Fai cringed slightly at the smooth sound of his name. "Are you alright? Do you not appreciate your name?"

"I-I'm fine. I think my leg was just a little sore."

Tomoyo's expression didn't change. "Your leg is fine, Fai. You've healed it."

Was there no limit to the girl's vast knowledge of his inner workings? Fai began to wonder if it was because of her abilities that she and Kurogane had worked together so well. She could most likely see how he worked, too. Her abilities would be extremely useful to any team.

"I suppose I have. I suppose you know everything about me, don't you?" Fai chuckled.

A nurse opened the door, grasping the handles of Tomoyo's wheelchair. She looked sympathetically at Fai before smiling and standing still. She had realized that he was there only then. There was something odd about the man. One could be in his presence, and never know he was there.

"Tomoyo, it's time for your medication. And Fai, after your x-rays, we've concluded that you're free to leave whenever you're ready," the nurse smiled.

"Thank you. Goodbye, Tomoyo. I hope you recover quickly," Fai said singingly.

The nurse paused briefly, before continuing forward. _'Fai, I'm going to tell you something you must swear to never tell Kurogane. I'm not going to recover. The state I'm in now will be the state I'm in forever. And one more thing. You're wrong about me being stronger and wiser than you. No one possesses more strength or wisdom than anyone in this world. You must discover your own strength, and you must learn from your past and move forward. That is true strength and wisdom'._

Fai sat, still as ice, thinking about Tomoyo's words into his mind. He didn't even know her, so why was he sobbing? Why was he crying for this stranger?

* * *

Kurogane had been wandering for some time. Had it been days? No, the hospital hadn't closed down yet. He had stopped watching where he was going, having memorized the patters of the hallways, he didn't need to look where he was going. He needed to sit. He needed to isolate himself and clear his mind. He grabbed the nearest doorknob and threw the room open, quickly noticing the lights were off and pressing himself to the door.

"I thought that she was the only partner I could rely on. Why do I feel like it wasn't because of her that I saved him?" Kurogane muttered to himself in the darkness.

Fai looked at the man in shock. He had decided to pack up, and turned off the lights to check out of the hospital, when Kurogane had burst in, obviously upset. He chose to remain silent, and let Kurogane release whatever he needed to.

"She always tells me that everything is fated. But was it fate for her to be hurt so badly. Was it fate for him to show up? For me to save him? Or was it my fate to let him die?"

Fai wanted to say something, anything, to stop the officer from eroding himself with harsh thoughts, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to hear more of what was on Kurogane's mind. There was no other way he'd find out. He didn't have the abilities that Tomoyo possessed. He couldn't simply take a peek at everything shuffling through the officer's mind, but, on this rare occasion, Kurogane was saying it aloud.

"He's exactly like you were..."

Fai flipped on the lights, staring at the officer's blood red eyes in shock. His heart was pounding hard and fast, and he felt like he couldn't hear a thing. Kurogane's head turned to catch Fai standing stock still next to the opposing door.

"Who is 'he'?" Fai asked shakily.

"How long have you been there?"

"Answer me, please."

"It doesn't matter whether or not you know. He's dead and gone, no impact on you," Kurogane said, heat rising to his face.

"It _does_ matter to me," Fai insisted.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were here?" Kurogane asked, shifting himself away from the wall to fully stare at the blond.

"Do you avoid subjects that are painful to you, Kurogane?" Fai asked, his head pounding. He had to know who the person was. He needed to know.

"Do you, _Fai?" _he asked, emphasizing the mage's name.

Fai's eyes widened in shock. The name rolling off the officer's tongue made him cringe. Why did everyone know? Why did everyone exploit the things he wanted to keep to himself?

"You've been crying, too. Something about wherever you came from, I'm sure. I'm telling you that, whatever happened to you, use it, and leave it behind."

Fai had so many things he wanted to say, but not one could alter the fact that every word Kurogane had said was the truth. It hurt him to think that the officer knew him that well. No one had ever known him that well. Why did a stranger, an unfeeling man, a hurt, close minded officer, know him better than anyone? _Have I ever truly known anyone?_

"Let's go. We need to check out that way you have rehab time," Kurogane shrugged, looking at Fai's frozen stance. "Why do you look so defensive?"

"It's nothing," Fai started. He thought he felt his mask cracking. "So, Kuro-puu, we should have _stew_ tonight!" he sang, snapping back into his illusion.

* * *

Kurogane fell onto his bed backward, sighing with relief. The day had been too odd. He had acquired a new partner, had his partner tell him to let him die, save his new partner, learn that he was 'destined' to protect the new partner, and realize that something was _very_ wrong with the blond magician.

He couldn't stand the sound of his own name, he hated being touched, he would look into nowhere often, and completely steered clear of any subject directly relating to himself. If the officer didn't know any better, he would say that the man was a spy, or a criminal. Fai simply didn't give off the aura of a criminal, though.

In fact, now that the officer thought of it, Fai didn't give off any aura at all. He felt no presence beside him when he was near Fai, and when he had stormed into the dark room, he had truly believed with all of his heart that no one else was there.

Kurogane was keen on noticing when someone else was near him. He wasn't one to let someone's presence slide by him, but it was almost as if Fai wasn't even there. Not at all. It was eerie, thinking back on it. Had he ever once met a person who seemed to simply not exist.

He heard Fai's snores in the next room. The magician had had a tiring day, and Kurogane didn't blame him for being tired. He quickly locked the door to Fai's room, so that the magician couldn't follow him. If he did, there was no way Kurogane would be able to tell.

He looked at his letter of assignment.

"NOTICE, NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR OFFICER YOUOU KUROGANE. UNDER LEAVE OF INJURY, TOMOYO DAIDOJI WILL HEREBY BE REPLACED BY FAI FLUORITE"

"Fluorite," Kurogane muttered to himself. He slid out of the house, closing the door quietly behind him. He needed more information. There were too many things wrong with his new partner. Too many things to let slide. What man could possibly have a bad enough life that he wanted to give it up, no questions asked?

He sprinted down the tumbling hill, catching his breath as he met the cobblestone street. He struggled to remember which way his usual information source was. As he recalled, he constantly glanced behind him. Never in his life had he been this worried about being followed. If he ever had a concern before, he would simply eliminate it. Not only could he not sense Fai, with all the tricks the magician had, who knows if Kurogane could see him if he didn't want to be seen.

He knew Fai could easily escape from the room, and could most likely track Kurogane down and stop him from gathering information. But somehow, he didn't suspect Fai of really doing any of that. The man just wanted to die, from what the officer could tell.

He arrived in front of the Four Leaf Clover, his breath ragged. _I've never really gotten tired running before, why now?_

"Ah, Kurogane, how are you?" asked a woman dressed in black, her voice hanging like silver in the air.

"Oruha," Kurogane bowed.

"So, who is it now? Puzzled by another guy?"

"Can we take this inside?" Kurogane asked, looking for warmth and a place to sit and catch his breath. He was surprised at how, as time went on, he was losing his breath more and more.

_I should be recovering now that I'm not running anymore. What the hell is happening to me?_

The two sat at the bar, Oruha ordering two drinks, and sitting so that she faced the officer's side.

"Let me guess, your new partner?"

Kurogane nodded. Oruha smiled, but something was hidden behind her face, an uneasiness. She looked at Kurogane as he drank, holding his chest and breathing heavily. She figured he must have truly been running fast.

"I already took the liberty. I was curious, since it would be hard to replace Tomoyo. Believe it or not, there's nothing. I've looked through every record, talked to everybody, and gone everywhere. There's no history of him, not only in London, but in all of England. You know I'm not one to let details go. The guy truly doesn't exist," she sighed. She truly hated telling anyone that she simply couldn't find info. She was the one who found the info others couldn't find.

"Th-Thanks," Kurogane gasped.

_Damn! I'm having trouble breathing at all. I'm stuttering, and my chest feels like someone is holding my lungs closed._

"Kurogane...what's wrong?! Your eyes are barely open"

"I...I'm fi-"

As he attempted to finish his sentence, he coughed a splatter of crimson blood into his hand. His eyes opened wide as he realized that this was more serious than he could've imagined. He began gagging without a break, his chest heaving.

"Someone get a doctor!" Oruha called out over the bar.

_Everything's getting darker. Oh my God, what's happening to me? There's blood everywhere, and I can't stop choking. I'm really going to die here. My lungs won't open enough for me to get air._

He felt hands on his chest, pressing, breathing air into his mouth. The running sensation of blood flowed down the side of his mouth.

Suddenly, two hands pressed over directly where his lungs were, and he felt himself come to, his sight being restored, his aching lungs filling with air. He stopped coughing, and looked up to see two, crystal blue eyes staring directly into his own.

* * *

Kurogane woke to a bright sunlight outside. His whole body was the sorest he'd ever felt it, and he didn't want to open his eyes. He was afraid of what he'd see, of who'd be before him. Realizing that he was most likely the most dangerous, strong officer in London, he conquered the fear, opening his eyes to see his room, undamaged.

He took another glance around, and he saw Fai, sitting on a stool at the foot of his bed, a grin on his pale face.

"Someone overslept!" Fai sang.

Kurogane looked at the man carefully, and saw the crystal blue color of his eyes. Kurogane leaned back into his bed, wishing that Fai of all people would simply disappear.

"That was you last night. You saved me."

"Consider it payback," Fai said happily, hopping off his stool.

"I locked your room, how the hell did you get out?"

"I deconstructed then reconstructed the door, of course, silly! Now, now, why did you lock me in my room? Afraid I would go get myself hurt?"

"Your my partner for missions. It would be troublesome if you were to get hurt," Kurogane stated as firmly as he could.

"Since you've decided to stop pushing me for facts, I suppose I won't press you for the real reason you locked me up, but aren't you glad I came!"

"You know what happened to me, don't you?" Kurogane pressed. That was no normal health problem. He was well aware of that. His body was in perfect shape, there was no way it could happen naturally. Someone cast something on him.

"Silly Kuro-rin, you had too much to drink, and apparently your body doesn't like alcohol so much!"

"I was having problems before I had anything to drink, and my body is perfectly alcohol tolerant. By lying you've convinced me that I'm right, and you do have something to do with it," Kurogane smirked.

"Are you sure? Oruha says that you were having no problems before you started drinking. She seems honest," Fai smiled again.

Of course Fai had done it. He knew that Kurogane was going to get information on him. Although he was well aware that no records existed, he couldn't risk talk of him reaching the officer's ears. He had had to do something to keep Kurogane from getting far. Then, when he had reached his destination, Fai would appear and save him, creating a good reputation for himself.

"Oruha wasn't with me the whole time. Only at the end of my trip. I was feeling winded the moment I left the house," Kurogane rebutted.

The two stared at each other, waiting for the other to speak. Clearly, the battle had begun. Kurogane wanted honesty from Fai, and Fai wanted to mask the truth.

"And why, did you leave the house, Kuro-_pon_?" Fai asked, his insincere smile burning a hole through Kurogane's defense.

"To be honest, I had had a long day, and wanted to drink it off. Is it wrong to want to drink your troubles away?"

"What about your 'great alcohol tolerance'?" Fai asked, a smirk clear as glass on his pale white face.

"I never got the chance to overcome it. I was out too fast."

"I've heard that Oruha is in all the best information loops. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

Kurogane stood, walking closer to them blond, hand to his belt. He realized that his sword was missing from his belt. He didn't let the surprise show on his face, though, instead getting uncomfortably close to the magician. He wanted Fai to squirm. His main factor of intimidation was missing in action, so he needed a definite way to make the magician uncomfortable.

"Oh, Kuro-pii, are you trying to scare me?" Fai chuckled, not showing a single sign of awkwardness.

"You have no clue what I can do to you. I don't care what you do, but don't you dare fuck with me," Kurogane hissed.

"I'll inform you that, in my lifetime, I've been afraid of one thing. Ever," Fai began with a mischievous smile. he didn't avert his gaze from Kurogane's, instead meeting it with more force than the officer had expected. "You don't even reach a fraction of what that was like. Now why don't _you_ answer _me_? Why did you leave. If you answer me, I can stop annoying you so much," Fai smiled.

Kurogane backed away from the magician, who was leaned against the wall, looking suspiciously at his partner.

"Don't think I haven't noticed a thing or two about you. You hate the sound of your own name," he stated, no tone detectable in his cold voice.

"Is that so?"

Kurogane reached forward, grasping the blond's wrist harshly. Fai let out a whimper, trying to pull his arm away.

"More than the sound of your name, you hate being touched," Kurogane said in the same voice as before. By now, though, Fai had lost his control. He was fighting against the officer with all of his might, which wasn't much in his condition.

"You lose it when people try to know anything about you. You went as far as to try to kill me, so that I wouldn't know about you."

"If you hate me so much then just kill me..." Fai muttered.

Kurogane released his partner's arm, as Fai held his wrist tenderly. He pressed himself as far into the wall as he could, trying to back away from Kurogane. Suddenly, he felt himself back in the cellar, freezing, Ashura standing before him. This wasn't what he wanted. He had come to London to escape that cellar. Why did he feel cornered again.

"You have cuff markings on your wrist. Bad ones, as if they had been made over years. I'm telling you, I don't care what you came from and where you were before. If you're going to be my partner, I want you to take that seriously."

Fai held his wrist to his chest, his breath rapid, his vision clouded. It was too real. Everything around him was too real.

"I can't forget yet."

"I see. Until you do, I'll take care of missions alone," Kurogane spat, leaving the room.

Fai felt the silence ebbing at his skin. He had no idea why he felt so isolated all of a sudden. He wasn't afraid of Kurogane, that much was clear. He had certainly endured worse, but somehow, Kurogane had seemed like Ashura out of nowhere, and that he couldn't bear to look at. His heart was pounding harder and harder. He wanted to be somewhere that he could finally see what peace felt like.

Sadly, although he knew next to nothing about his new partner, Kurogane was the closest relationship the magician had ever had. It pained him to know that, what was friendship on his side, was hate and mistrust on Kurogane's.

* * *

Kurogane walked along the road, trying to get enough fresh air to cool his raging temper. Fai was supposed to be terrified of him. Although he didn't have his weapon, the magician was supposed to be quaking in his presence. But Fai had actually taunted him when Kurogane threatened the blond.

On top of that, he still knew nothing about the man. Nothing except his name and that he was his partner. the worst thing running through Kurogane's cluttered mind, though, was the unrelenting question he was now asking himself.

_Why was I so reluctant to hurt him?_

In any case he could think of, even Tomoyo, if someone had talked to him like that, he would've resorted to violence. He was baffled by the fact that actually hurting Fai hadn't occurred to him once.

_He's more powerful than I could have imagined. He sent me into a heart attack without making his presence known once. I had no idea he had left the house, and I fell right into his trap. I can't use outside means to learn about him at all. I have to do it on my own, without him knowing about any of it._

Kurogane knew exactly who to speak to, to give him the resources he needed to research on his own.

_You haven't won yet, Fluorite..._

* * *

**There's chapter two. I hope you liked it! RnR and enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Complete  
Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Reservoir. Those lovely little sadistic four do3  
AN: This chapter is pure angst and bonding unhealthily. If I overdid it, tell me, and please please please review. I can't get better if you don't!**

* * *

"Yuuko, I need the stuff" Kurogane grunted, avoiding looking eye to eye at his superior. He was disappointed in himself for having to stoop so low as to rely on Yuuko for anything.

The riskily clad woman looked the officer over, a hungry gaze dancing in her eyes. She smiled seductively, before calling over Watanuki, not taking her eyes off of Kurogane once.

"Go into the back room, and get my 'special ingredient'," she chuckled to her assistant.

"Y-Yuuko, that's hardly appropriate for such a respected officer!" the boy cried. "You wouldn't condone the use of it on anyone..."

"But you, normally, but this is quite intriguing. Loosen up, Watanuki," she grinned, moving her eyes from Kurogane to her stuttering assistant. "So, Kurogane, you're the last person I'd expect to ask for _that_. He really isn't saying a word?"

"I didn't come here to ask you any information," he made sure to say loud and clearly, holding his chest as if that could prevent it from a second round of cardiac arrest.

"Worried about him eavesdropping?"

"Terrified," Kurogane mused. He wasn't terrified of anything.

"I can tell you now he's not here, nor is he projecting any magic with which to follow you. I heard about your little incident. So Oruha isn't going to work out, is she? Going to her was a blatant mistake, I'm afraid."

Kurogane leaned against the wall, daring to look into his superior's eyes. She continued to stare at him, intrigued. She brushed her hair away before Watanuki re-entered the room, a large bag in his hands. Wide eyed, he handed it to Yuuko, who stood, her heels making her nearly taller than the officer, and handed it to him.

"For you," she whispered. "I can guarantee that, if not his whole story, some of it will come out through this."

"How much?" Kurogane asked, shuffling through his pockets for his wallet.

"Oh ho," she chuckled. "The results of this little charade will more than compensate."

"That's unusual. You seem to have a price for everything," Kurogane stated firmly.

"This case...is special."

Kurogane departed from her cluttered office, not looking back one, tightly clenching the bag in his hand. Yuuko watched him leave, face in her palm, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Now, Watanuki, go fetch me some of that, too."

"Miss Yuuko, I cannot condone _you_ of all people getting your hands on that. I refuse. May I ask why you asked for no payment, though?"

"Kurogane noticed it the moment he saw Fai," she chuckled. "He noticed the resemblance almost right off the bat. He doesn't get involved in other's pasts and issues, but this is entirely different. Kurogane has some sort of...respectful need to protect Fai."

"I suppose you already all about the resemblance, don't you?" Watanuki sighed.

"Why of course, Watanuki. If Kurogane had simply asked, I would tell all. I guess I'm glad Kurogane decided to keep it fun," Yuuko mused.

* * *

Fai laid on his bed, blankets beneath him, staring at the oddly textured ceiling. He had options to contemplate. Guilt was dominating his conscious as he recalled the bloody mess he'd turned Kurogane into. He knew that the officer was aware of Fai's intentions. He wanted to tell the man everything, which led to option one; tell Kurogane everything, and trust him with his life, and work together with the man, no more secrets between them. It sounded pleasant, but he didn't know to what extent he could trust the stranger. Kurogane was a loyal, protective man, that much was apparent, but Fai also recognized his mistrust in the magician, and his dislike for the blond's method's.

Option two was run for the hills. He could run, get out of the mess he'd delved into, and leave not a single trace of his existence within reach of a single person in the damned city. He could go off, live nowhere, be a hermit, and let his pitiful life dwell on. That wouldn't be so bad, he thought. At least, he'd be ridding the town of his existence, so it would have to be better all around.

Option three, he could simply tell Kurogane that, if _he_ didn't kill him, he'd find someone else who would. Kurogane wasn't a man to be shown up, and he'd do the job. _No he wouldn't..._ Fai sighed, realizing that the voice in the back of his head was right, and Kurogane wouldn't kill him over something so simple.

_What do you do when you want to die, but can't kill yourself?_

'Your life means more to others than it does to you'. Tomoyo's words rang in his garbled mind. Why did she have to butt into his head at a moment like that? He knew that he only had one option to choose, and that was option four, the one he didn't want to think about, ever.

Option four, grin and bear it.

* * *

Kurogane sat down at the bar stool, eyes wary of those around him. No communication, he thought. Talking to anyone was a health risk. Coming back to the Four Leaf at all was a huge risk, but he had no other way of finding out what prohibited his partner from communicating with him. He knew the magician well enough to know that, in defending his past, he would join him at the bar, and ensure that Kurogane asked no one anything.

"Anything to drink, Kurogane?" Oruha asked, fully aware of the officer's predicament.

He nodded, signaling for his usual, before giving another sign and signaling two. Kurogane reached down to his bag to unearth the substance Yuuko had given him, but felt an uneasiness envelope him. Something slightly disturbing in the air told him that Fai was watching. Taking anything out would ruin everything.

Oruha set the two drinks down, side by side, on the bar. She winked at him, telling him that someone was approaching. Kurogane slipped his fingers into the bottle in his bag, and swept it into the drink furthest from him as quickly as possible. He could slip more into the drink later, but adding anything else then would tip the magician off to his intentions.

"Kuro-pii!" Fai exclaimed, sitting next to the officer. "I definitely didn't think you'd come back _here_. Especially after last night..."

"I haven't spoken to anyone and I bought you a drink, so don't fuck around with my heart," Kurogane sighed.

"It's okay, I was watching Kuro-tan very closely, and I decided that you weren't being naughty. A toast to our new partnership?" Fai grinned.

Kurogane got the general idea of Fai's sentence. New partnership? He automatically concluded that Fai had decided to at least pretend that his past had never happened, and was deciding to work together with Kurogane. That was all fine and good, but Kurogane had more he wanted to know. The man beside him was similar; too similar. He had known a boy once who looked like a mirror image of the magician.

"Yeah, sure," he grunted.

"So why did you come here, Kuro-chii?" Fai asked, curiosity peeking.

"To think mostly. I'm beginning to wonder when Tomoyo'll heal up, and when you'll heal up. I guess I feel like my health is no good when all my partner's end up all screwed up," Kurogane lied. Whether the magician knew it or not, Kurogane was as good a liar as the blond himself.

"I'm in perfect condition!" Fai chuckled. "And any healthier than this would make you look bad."

Fai stared into his glass, before looking at Kurogane. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of the alcoholic beverage, before sliding it over to Kurogane with a smile.

"This tastes gross. You must be sweet, because your drink is _bitter_. You drink it, I want something sweeter!" Fai sang to his partner.

Kurogane knew that Fai had sensed something wrong with the drink. He needed to slip more into the drink, or it wouldn't work fast enough. Fai was fishing through his pockets for his wallet, when Kurogane stopped his wrist, immediately removing his hand when he saw Fai wince.

"Drink's on me, let me go order it," Kurogane suggested.

Fai nodded, sensing nothing wrong. Maybe the fool was weak enough to alcohol on his own, he didn't need his drink laced. He went to get up, grabbing his bag and rounding the corner. He knew Fai was still listening, but to his knowledge, he couldn't sense the magician watching.

"Oi, Oruha!" the officer called.

"You need somethin' else?" she asked.

"Something 'sweeter' than my usual," Kurogane quoted.

He waited patiently, not giving any signs to the magician that he was doing anything other than that. When Oruha handed him the glass, she didn't place it on the bar. The woman was more intelligent than others gave her credit for, but that was what she specialized in; deceiving those around her.

He held the glass carefully above the bar, so as not to make it sound like Oruha was done pouring it. Kurogane unsheathed the bottle, pouring quite the considerable amount into the glass, which Oruha had filled only half full. Her eyes widened at the amount of the liquid Kurogane dumped into the magicians drink. He placed the bottle back into his bag, placing the drink on the counter to make it sound as if Oruha had only just finished pouring.

"That'll be all, Kurogane?" she asked, as if rehearsed to be perfectly on queue.

"Yeah."

He slid a few coins across the bar surface, picking the glass up and walking it to his companion. Only one drink remained where they had been sitting. Kurogane froze as he realized that Fai had gotten rid of one of the glasses. The question arose; is that the drink that was laced or not?

Without letting uneasiness even shine through his poker face for a second, he handed Fai the glass, and pulled his own drink closer to him. Unsteadily, he wasn't sure if Fai had tried to do him the favor of disposing of one of the two drinks Kurogane would have to attempt to drink before the night ended, or if the magician was simply onto him, and had left him with the drugged alcohol. Not letting his facade be blown, he took a sip of his drink, tasting for any irregularities.

To his shock, Fai lifted the glass high and swallowed nearly half of it in one go. He wiped his mouth and smiled at his partner once more, before hiccupping.

"That's good, Kuro-rin" Fai exclaimed.

"You ever heard of drinking in moderation, dimwit?" Kurogane grunted, taking another sip of his drink.

"I suppose I've never really been good at rationalizing anything," the magician shrugged.

Kurogane was surprised not only by the way Fai had unquestioningly downed his laced drink, and how he automatically began opening up about his past. It was too far too fast. Kurogane needed to reel the conversation back to something unsuspicious, and gradually coax the magician into telling him anything he wanted. He was feeling slightly guilty about how quickly the drug had taken effect, though. He knew immediately he had poured too much.

"I've been meaning to talk to you. What do you do at the house all day while I'm out?" Kurogane asked, taking another sip of his drink.

Fai downed more alcohol before hiccupping again and responding. "I sometimes just sleep. Dreams are nice. And I go to the little shop down the road and buy some things to eat. And then I think a lot. Think of options," Fai giggled.

Kurogane was feeling uneasy. It was _not_ supposed to work this fast. If the drug had gotten to Fai that quickly, he wondered when the drug would possibly take effect on him as well.

"Options?" Kurogane asked.

Fai paused, looking at himself for a moment, before shrugging and running a hand through his hair.

"Kuro-puu, have you ever thought about someone so much, you think they're right next to you?" Fai asked quickly, changing the topic of conversation.

Kurogane was almost relieved that Fai had caught his own slip up. It meant his rationality was still lingering. It meant he still had some ways to go before the drug fully took effect. For some odd reason, he didn't want the blond completely gone to the malicious substance in his drink. He wanted a bit of the mischievous, mysterious man he'd known before.

"Yeah. Guess I have," he grunted, wanted Fai to speak more.

"And then, you realize that they aren't right here," Fai said, his hand reaching out to his side, as if looking for someone beside him; someone who wasn't there. "And you feel lonely, and cold. And then, you wonder 'I hope they're okay wherever they are in this big world'."

It was more than Kurogane had asked for. There were more issues at hand than just Fai's health. More than just his resemblance to Kurogane's old friend. Fai was delirious. The large officer only hoped it was a result of his drugged alcohol. He could already tell that the magician didn't have a great resistance to alcohol in general. Drugging his drink may have been overdoing it.

"I know what you mean. Sometimes, I feel like they're right here, next to me, but I have to remember that the only one left in the whole damn world to look out for me is me," Kurogane muttered.

He clasped his hand over his mouth, eyes wide. That was it. That was the drug's special effect. He had no intentions of sharing any of that with his newest partner, but before he had even known he was speaking, he was enlightening Fai on every little secret he had left.

"Kuro...pii?" Fai asked, staring at the officer. Obviously, Fai hadn't thought that Kurogane would share any information, either.

"Forget it," he scowled.

To his surprise, this unintended tactic had worked, and Fai leaned back into his stool, drinking more and pressing his eyelids together heavily, as if trying to down a solid object.

"I wish I had seen and done half the things others do. I haven't done a thing in my whole life," Fai sighed, staring wholes into the wall before him, as if staring at a scene playing out in front of his eyes. "Living your whole life in isolation isn't easy."

Despite the odd piece of information Fai had just unloosed, Kurogane refused to react. He couldn't react. If he did, Fai would know that he was letting little details loose. Still, Kurogane had by no means expected coaxing Fai into letting loose him little secrets would be so easy. Maybe it was all lies, Kurogane thought. Or maybe, he had kept it pent up so long, he couldn't help but tell the officer everything.

"It was always so cold down there. Everything was so...I felt so disgusting. So worthless. I had absolutely no purpose to live. I guess, I wanted to feel in charge of how I live or die. But I can't even do that."

Kurogane nodded, as if the tidbits of info Fai was telling him was completely normal. He felt a lurch in his abdomen, and knew that the drug was taking more effect. He figured that Fai had had enough of the drug that he couldn't feel any of its effects reacting through his body, but Kurogane had had too little. It was painfully coursing through his veins like lead.

"I never knew why they had to fucking were just gone. I didn't know who to be mad at. Them for leaving, the killers for taking them away, or me for not even fighting to keep them?" Kurogane felt the words slide out of his throat forcefully.

_Dammit, I don't want to share any of this._ Memories accumulated in the officer's mind as silence pressed between the mage and himself. He wanted to learn about Fai's past, not recollect his own. He was nowhere near ready to tell anyone about the things spilling out of his mouth. He was already regretting the decision to try to learn about the magician.

"I wonder how Fai is now..." Fai trailed.

Kurogane froze. No amount of drugging could nullify that sentence. '_I wonder how Fai is now'_. Fai's eyes widened, his hands clasping over his mouth. He looked over his shoulder to the officer next to him, who's eyes were also wide as dinner plates. The two sat, staring at each other for a few moments, the reality of each other's words pulsating into their ears.

Fai had been isolated, cold, worthless, and, oh, his name wasn't Fai, but someone else's sure was. He was now realizing what Kurogane had done, and held his stomach, as if he were going to be sick. He looked over at Kurogane's bag, the neck of a bottle sticking out from it. He put a hand on his forehead, before standing up and collapsing to the floor. He wasn't anywhere near sober enough to support himself. He couldn't remember any spells to fix the issue either, his brain was scrambling under the drug's effect and his own drunkenness.

"God..." Kurogane began, standing up. His head was spinning, his sight fuzzy, but his alcohol tolerance allowed him to stand firmly enough and look down at the blond mess before him.

Fai pulled his hands to the bar and helped him up, with some assistance from Kurogane, which Fai batted away violently. A tear fell down the blond's cheek, before he buckled, falling onto his partner's chest and sobbing.

Never being one for consolation, Kurogane hoisted the man onto his shoulder, and carried him from the bar. Fai didn't object, or even move. He lay, simply sobbing into the man's back.

Kurogane had heard awful things in his life. He had heard piercing cries of the ones he loved as they died, he'd heard victims stabbed ruthlessly, he'd heard Tomoyo hit the pavement and crack nearly every bone in her body, but the sound of Fai's broken sobs was the worst of them all. Something in him told him he'd far overstepped his boundaries. He'd intruded on the man's secrets, ones that the magician had never wanted to surface. Who was he to try to dig them up?

His own mind was beginning to shut down as he reached the base of the hill. Fai had fallen silent, and Kurogane could only hope that meant he was asleep. He didn't want Fai to feel obligated to explain anything, and he didn't want to explain anything himself. The drug, still effective, was kneading its way through his veins. It felt as if it were tearing through flesh and bone. He could only imagine what Fai would feel like later. He was so intoxicated and drugged, that his body simply couldn't stay awake. Kurogane had had too little of the drug, and the effects skipped right to the end.

Pressing his own endurance, he clutched the magician on his back tighter to him and staggered himself up the hill. It dawned on him that the magician really had had no clue he was drugged. The officer's stomach seemed to hollow as he understood that the first chug of the drink he took was a message, as if saying 'Kurogane, I've decided I trust you'. He had destroyed that trust with one action. One simple, reckless, stupid, unfounded reason.

He made his way into the shared home, pressing Fai door open and throwing him onto the bed. He surveyed the damage. Fai's face was tear streaked, his eyelids swollen with sobs. His skin was pale as snow, and he still looked unbelievably sick. his golden blond hair was strewn about his slumberous face, as his chest rose and fell. The magician looked like the smallest interaction could break him. He grabbed a blanket from his closet and threw it over the magician, knowing he would be tormented about it later.

He departed silently, his knees threatening to give way. As the large officer reached his bed, he collapsed without grace in the slightest form, and didn't even bother changing or covering himself. Substance like lead pumped through his bloodstream, making him grit his teeth once more.

* * *

_"Kuro-nii!" the small blond boy called._

_"What!?" the other, darker haired child called in response._

_The first ran up and showed the second a chain of flowers he'd woven. He laced it over the young boy's head._

_"Yuui, I'm not a girl, and I don't want any flowers. If you were a _real_ boy, you would make something else," the young Kurogane grunted._

_"They weren't for you, but you can have them if you want. I just wanted to take them home and give them to my family."_

_"Where does _your_ family live, Yuui?"_

_"Over that hill, WAY over there. It's HUGE. I have nine brothers and sisters, and my parents are lawyers, and they make so much money. I'm rich, rich, rich," the blond exclaimed._

_"Wow, we just live in a house right in London. My mom is a doctor and my dad is a police man. We aren't rich like you..." Kurogane sighed._

_The blond stood cautiously, brushing grass and petals from his legs. He snatched the ring of flowers from his young companion, holding them fast to his chest._

_"WELL" he exclaimed. "I don't converse with the poor!"_

_"I am not poor!" Kurogane hollered, standing eye to eye with the blond._

_"I'm gonna go home an' ask my parents if we can give you some money, because you're so poor!" Yuui sang._

_Kurogane grunted. He didn't have to deal with the petulant child. He himself was far more mature. He watched the blond dart up and over the hill, and he say back down and snatched up a dozen or so flowers of his own. Who needed Yuui to make the damned flower chains? He'd do it himself._

_After that moment, he never saw the boy again._

* * *

**A/N: Okay, little dream at the end there. It'll be better explained nest chapter. I hope you enjoyed the bonding! Alcohol and drugs are _bad_!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Complete**

**Summary: Kurogane has lost the stability in his life that kept things into a balance. Fai has escaped from what causes fear in his every moment. Matched up to complete each other's needs, their ideas and wants differ greatly, but each with an emptiness to fill, they complete each other.**

**Disclaimer: CLAMP owns TRC, not little old me..**

**Some Background Info: This story supposedly takes place in 1920-30 England, where the police department consists of pairs, an officer, who deals mainly with physical combat, and their assistant, usually a magician, who can take out an enemy while they aren't looking. More background on Fai's needs will be revealed, as well as Kurogane's odd attachment to Tomoyo.. Read and Enjoy!**

* * *

The officer lay still, eyes in a slight haze as sunlight crept into his compacted room. For a moment, he wondered where he was, and what had happened the night before, but with a migraine pouring into his temples, he remebered the events of the previous night, and shuddered. As the chill ran through his body, an aching pain replaced it, as if every muscle accessible was sore. He winced, before calming himself and settling into a steady position, so as to avoid movement that could cause more pain. As he had thought, the drugs effects were only worse in the morning. With a scowl, he took a deep breath, filling his aching lungs, and sat up.

Soreness coursed through his spine, and made it's was through his arms and legs, up through his neck, and caused a large pound into his already blooming headache. The officer grunted, and threw his blanket. He had conquered some truly monstrous things in his life, he could handle the after effects of a simple drug without effort. He leaned against his white painted wall, stretching his extremities, and taking more deep breaths, until he knew he could walk without collapsing.

"Oi, Magician!" he called into the house.

He waited for a response, but none was given. With an awkward step, he opened his door into the room that joined his room and Fai's. Sunlight streamed through the semi-transparant windows, casting a golden glow into the room. Kurogane had truly missed peaceful mornings such as this, yet it felt wrong. He knew what he had done was very wrong, and he couldn't enjoy anything until he set it straight. He grimaced, taking a few more steps toward the magician's room.

The last thing he was going to do was apologize. Kurogane apologized to no one. What happened happened, and there was never any point in telling someone how much you regretted doing it. You did it anyway, what difference did it make?

Silence greeted him upon entering the room. He figured that Fai was still asleep after the long night he'd had. Kurogane jumped backward in surprise when he saw the magician, the blanket Kurogane had retreived still strewn over him, his hair still a mess, heavy bags under his, and his skin possibly even more sickly than before. He was staring at the ceiling, very much awake.

He made no acknowledgements that he had noticed Kurogane's presence, instead, simply continuing to stare upward at the ceiling. His face looked serene and calm, as if it were completely at rest, but his eyes were dull, clouded, and full of confusion.

As another wave of soreness clutched the officer's body, he threw himself into a chair across the room, simply waiting for Fai to say something. Once he had, he knew that he could reel the magician into forgiving him without saying sorry. All he had to do was wait patiently. No one could outlast Kurogane; ever. In all his years of playing the silence game, he had never lost.

He just had to wait a little longer. Fai would crack any moment. He wouldn't be able to handle the intensity. Just one more second and- Kurogane sighed before sitting back, hoping that would trigger the blond magician. he tapped his fingers on his knees, still waiting, as he could practically hear the other man's pulse. He had to admit, Fai was stubborn. Silence seemed to be pounding at him from all angles. Words were sitting in his throat, edging their way to his lips.

"You're wrong."

Kurogane huffed, unbelieving that, in all his years, this was the first time he'd had to speak first. He had to say _something_. The silence was iron thick, and practically suffocating him. He wasn't going to be kind about anything, though. He was going to tell Fai the truth, whether or not it was painful. It would be better for him than sugarcoating it.

"I also haven't been many places, or seen many things. I've never gotten to know anyone truly in my whole life, and no one has ever gotten to know me. I've lived my whole life in isolation, by my own choice. Getting caught up in other's affairs makes me lose focus on my own. Tomoyo is really the only person I've ever talked to."

Fai said nothing. Kurogane couldn't even hear the magician breathing. He felt pathetic for having continued when he knew inside Fai wasn't going to be responding. the man was past stubborn. There was no word to describe the level the magician had reached.

"I lost my parents at the age of seven. Against my will, I had no choice. I was forced to continue living, against my will, not my choice. I was forced to have a partner, against my will. I had to select a new partner after her, not my choice. I haven't made a single decision in my life that decided what happens to me. Sometimes I go out of my way to upset others, or end their lives, because I like to feel like I have some control over what happens to me. One of these days, I want someone to ask me if this is what I want to do. I want someone to follow my directions, instead of decide everything for me.

"Tomoyo never really listened to me. She always knew what was best. Even at the end of our partnership, she decided she was going to take the hit for me. She decided without asking me whether or not I wanted her to go ahead and let herself get injured. And then, when I got you, you automatically decided that we wouldn't be partners, and that you would just die. I didn't have any say. I guess it felt good when I got to burst out and say whether or not you were going to die. It was my choice," Kurogane chuckled.

Still not a word from Fai. Kurogane began to wonder whether or not the man had simply fallen asleep. He didn't check though. He was going to tell Fai exactly how he felt. No details left out. Fai would have to give the officer respect.

"From then on, I've felt this indisputable control over your fate, like it's my decision every day whether or not you're going to see tomorrow. Now I know why everyone decides things for me. It's so empowering to know that someone else depends solely on you. But there's more to you. There's all these secrets you have, that I don't know. I guess I've never felt so interested in another person before, but this sensation of controlling you is too much for me. I want to know all about you. One could say I overstepped my boundaries, but...I suppose I had never known those feelings," Kurogane finished, realizing he had talked much longer than he had ever meant to.

He had told Fai everything, that was for sure, and now he was feeling that realization that Fai wouldn't share anything in return. He had gone against his number one rule; never give anything without first getting paid. He stood, staring down at the magician. His eyes were still open, but something was very different. A stagnant tear was idle on his cheek. He continued to stare at the ceiling, but he wasn't focused. His eyes wandered, and he made small movements, as if he wanted to get up.

"Magician, you need some help?" Kurogane huffed,

"I'll get up on my own, thank you," Fai said absentmindedly.

He struggled to push himself up before collapsing backward, wincing and making a small 'Haa,' noise. After many painful adjustments and noises, he sat up straight, his face ghostly white, and his eyes rung with deep purple.

"I never asked you to tell me any of that," Fai muttered.

"I just wanted you to know about my feelings on our..." Kurogane started.

"I never asked you to tell me about your parents. You mentioned them last night, and I knew it was a sensitive topic, so I decided I wouldn't ask, but you told me anyway?"

"I didn't tell you the story, and I'm not going to. All I did was mention how old I was when they died," Kurogane muttered.

"It doesn't matter. Tomoyo doesn't know about that. Why would you tell me and not her?" Fai asked, his voice raspy from what sounded like a sleepless night.

"I haven't _told _you anything, so get over yourself. I merely informed you of my circumstances, and told you what my feelings were on you. You will always do as I say. If I can't make anyone else do as I say, I'm going to at least make you."

"I suppose I still owe you for saving me?" Fai asked.

"You'll be owing me when you're ancient and can't walk. That's how I've decided to do this. I've decided you aren't dying, and that you're going to take this partnership seriously," Kurogane stated with a smirk.

"I don't understand you, Kuro-rin. So many things have happened to you, yet you don't seem to even remember them. You seem unhappy about your past, yet you don't think about it often."

"What's done is done. Thinking about it does nothing. No matter how much you miss someone, they won't come back. No matter what you do or say, there's only forward, and no backward. That's why I don't think about my past. I suggest you do the same."

Fai opened his mouth to say something in response, but Kurogane held up a hand and departed, walking sorely back into his room. At least it had gotten Fai out of his bed, he thought.

Fai watched his door slam, pain wracking his frail body. He clenched his jaw and shut his eyes, waiting for it to subside. Why couldn't Kurogane have picked a more conventional method? He leaned against the wall, letting the pain course.

"I have to force my way backward, though, even if it kills me. There is no forward until I'm done," Fai whispered to himself.

He knew what he needed to do. Kurogane would be surprised, that was guranteed. He didn't feel ready, but he felt the weighty necessity. He wasn't going to be able to do a thing in his current state, whether it was his goals or his partnership. He stood again, letting the pain do its worst. He wouldn't feel it in a moment.

Muttering a few chants, he slid his hands from his feet up his forearms, across his face, and over the rest of his body. He felt to eyes on him, and knew Kurogane had witnessed his spell. He found turning to look effortless, and smiled brightly at the officer.

Kurogane held a piece of paper in his hands as he looked his parnter over. it was certainly an improvement, he thought. The blond stood up straight, not slumping over from famine. His skin a was light, pale shade of peach, and he seemed to glow. His hair was a soft, light blond, and fell in whisps around his now full face, but one transformation he hadn't been expecting was when Fai opened his eyes. They were a perfect crystalline blue, bright, without that dulled confusion Kurogane had only just seen.

"I hope you aren't jealous!" Fai said with a smirk.

"Why would I be?" Kurogane huffed. "You're still a beanpole with no physical strength."

"But now that my strength is fully restored, my magic will be, too," Fai chuckled. "I'm going to last a lot longer now."

"Alright, whatever. I wanted to tell you that Yuuko sent us a notice to come visit her. She's got some mass announcement for all officer magician partners. That woman always has some big announcement."

"We don't need to take a cab, right? We can walk?" Fai asked hopefully.

"Why?"

"Because I haven't used these legs in years!" Fai practically sang, jumping and twisting around if the small house wasn't enough for him to move around in.

"Yeah, sure, we can walk."

* * *

After having tolerated Fai bouncing around like an overenergized child on their way to headquarters, Kurogane appreciated sitting back and simply listening to Yuuko's message. Fai didn't want to sit, of course, but it was required in a meeting. Fai pouted, sitting up as staright as Kurogane had seen anyone sit. He truly was relishing being so able-bodied. The officer only wondered why he hadn't restored himself sooner.

"Welcome officers and magicians!" Yuuko called out over the crowd of partners. Her unreasonably long hair swung with every turn of her head. "I have a small propostition to make!"

"And by proposition, she means she's already decided," Watanuki muttered.

Yuuko shot a playful glare to her assistant, before clearing her throat and continuing her message.

"Thank to certain individuals," she said, her eyes wandering to meet Kurogane's. "I have a new policy to discuss with you all. Recently, some partnerships of two have been...getting a little more physically involved in crimes. We've had some...injuries. And I'm starting to think that two simply isn't enough. I don't doubt anyone's skill, but I simply think that joining two sets of officer and magician might be better for our department as a whole!" Yuuko said.

The various officers and magicians stared at each other hesitantly. Obviously strong bonds had been formed between the partnerships, and no one wanted to be intruded upon by another set of department members.

"The newly partnered teams will be posted outside in a few minutes. Teams will be required to live together, in new and improved housing structures, and missions will be dealt with in quartets starting immediately," Yuuko grinned.

She didn't say anymore, and simply departed, leaving a baffled audience and some aggravated remarks being called onto the stage. This was typical for the head of the department, though. She would often leave everyone in the dark, and let everyone in on her schemes last minute.

All partners rushed through the door of the conference hall, shoving into the wall to see the list. No one wanted to be paired with a weak team, and everyone wanted to be paired with someone strong.

One partnership stood outside the mob, a black haired man, tall, with a smug look on his face, the other, more feminine, blond, with spectacles on his cheerful face. The two were an odd looking pair, one completely offsetting and unappreoachable, the other one of the most welcoming faces you would ever see.

Fai looked at the two in fascination. They reminded him very much of he and Kurogane. they looked like, despite their mismathced personalities, they would work extremely well together. They seemed unconcerned about whoever they ended up matched with.

"Who're they, Kuro-kii?" Fai asked, pointing to the two.

Kurogane huffed, looking over at whoever Fai was pointing at. "Toya and Yukito," he stated.

"You seem put off. Are they mean?"

"What? No, they're just another partnering."

"Oh, I know! I bet they're _really_ good, and you feel threatened, right, Kuro-pii?"

"You're full of it. They're just more attached than most partnerships, and it makes everyone a little uncomfortable."

"So relationships vetween men is allowed in this department?" Fai asked, eyes full of curiosity.

"Yeah, but don't go off flirting with every guy you see. You'll get distracted," Kurogane grunted, looking across the different partnerships.

"That's a problem, Kuro-puu, because you walk like your sore, and people might assume-"

"Stop talking before you seriously piss me off, magician."

Fai smirked, looking across the different partnerships again. There was also a taller, tan woman and her partner with long, silky black hair tied into many different strands. the two were conversing happily, making their way to the list without rush. A younger pair also fought their way to the front, the boy with rough, brown hair and a serious expression, the girl with short, light brown hair and a truly confused look as she was pulled along behind her partner.

"I can fix your soreness, Kuro-rin!" Fai exclaimed, loud enough for others to hear.

Kurogane shot him a glare that could freeze flame, and Fai smiled sweetly.

"That way people won't think naughty things!"

"You're the only one thinking that, pervert," Kurogane muttered.

"All I have to do is quick spell! I did it to myself earlier, and now I'm in tip top shape! I can get rid of your soreness!" Fai claimed.

Kurogane normally wouldn't have accepted, but he was beginning to think that others assuming things was a possibility. Everyone assumed those things about Toya and Yukito, it was completely possible they'd think that way about him, too. That was the last thing he wanted. He was probably the most respected officer in London, and that kind of rumor could _not_ spread.

"Do it quick."

Fai smiled, rubbing his palms together and chanting a few words. Before Kurogane had realized what was happening, the quick magicians hands were all over his body, rubbing into places he did _not_ want to be touched.

"The hell are you doing, idiot?!" he roared.

Fai withdrew quickly, staring at his partner. Kurogane was admittedly a lot less sore. He wouldn't tell Fai that, of course, but he was definitely feeling better. And he also hadn't minded the contact all that much. Another thing he wouldn't ever say aloud.

"I was fixing your soreness!"

"Can't you do that from a distance?!"

"It doesn't work if I'm not touching you, Kuro-silly!"

Kurogane felt heat rise to his face as he noticed most partners had stopped talking, and were gazing at he and Fai. He knew he shouldn't have let Fai do anything to him in public. Hell, he knew better than to let Fai do anything to him ever. Now something was definitely going to be said about his public display.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kurogane, sir?" said the rough, brown haired boy from before.

"Yeah?" Kurogane acknowledged him, the timid young girl behind his back.

"It appears that you and your..."

"Dimwit," Kurogane supplied.

"Good one, Mr. Kurogane, sir," the boy chuckled. "It appears that you and your parnter will be stationed with us," he said.

If Kurogane was annoyed by one thing, it was a suck-up, but he didn't read any faking from the kid. He really only wanted to impress Kurogane. They were both innocent, pure children. Somewhere inside, he felt an urge to protect them, even without having known them more than a few minutes.

"'Kay, kid. What're your names?"

"I'm Syaoran, and this is my partner, Sakura," the boy said, pointing from him to the girl behind him. "I'm the officer, she's the magician."

"A dreem seer," Fai said, gazing over the girl. Her eyes widened.

"Y-Yes. I'm a dreem seer."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Sakura," Fai smiled, kissing her hand.

"Anyway," Kurogane interrupted. "I'm sure you know who we are. You get our new house number?"

Syaoran nodded, and flagged down a cab, handing the address to the driver. Yuuko had mentioned all of their belongings already having been moved to the new homes. Silence sat in the cab, like another passenger, prohibiting anyone from speaking. Both Kurogane and Fai couldn't help but feel like add-ons in the situation they were in. Syaoran and Sakura obviously had a very strong bond. The word 'intruding' seemed to have a heavier meaning than before.

They arrived at the house, which looked approximately the same size as their previos home. The four made their way up the hill and to the front door, as Syaoran unlocked it and everyone stepped inside. The entry room was now accomodated with a kitchen, and there was a door on either side of the room. A chill swept over all four of them as they realized what that meant. There were still only two bedrooms.

"Ah, that's unfortunate," Fai giggled as they checked both doors and confirmed their suspicions.

"Sakura, you may sleep in that room, and the three of us will sleep in this room," Syaoran offered.

Sakura shook her head he eyes slightly distant. She placed her slight hand on her partner's arm momentarily, taking a deep breath, before looking up with determination.

"We can trust these two, I saw it in my dream. My Fai, Mr. Kurogane, Syaoran and I are very attached, and have no intentions of sleeping in separate rooms," she stated. "I trust him with my life, and want him near me, please understand."

"Makes no difference to me," Kurogane shrugged. "Take the idiot in with you," he said, patting Fai harshly on the back.

"Kuro-rin!" Fai whined. "Save that for when the kids are in bed!"

Syaoran and Sakura stared at each other before saring at the two in front of them. Extremely caught off guard by Fai's frank remark, they were rendered speechless.

Kurogane turned to his partner, intent to kill not hidden in his eyes.

"You fucking bastard, I'll snap your fucking neck," he growled.

Fai giggled, running through the house as if being chased, Kurogane hot on his trail.

* * *

_Fai lay on the mattress, his eye pounding. His pulse was erradic, and sweat accumulatedat his brow. He didn't know what was happening to him, or where he was, but an odd feeling of relief was in his mind. It was how he wanted to go, somehow. He knew he was dying, and he was fine with it._

_Calloused hands held him upright. Someone stroked his hair, stroked his back. Someone cared about whether or not he lived or died._

_"Is there any way to keep him alive?" a familiar voice asked._

_"There is, but it isn't cheap." Fai thought he recognized the woman's voice, too. _

_"I'll do it."_

_Everything else was muffled noise, until a hand grasped his collar, shook him, and told him simple words, "If you want to die so bad, I'll kill you myself, but until then, live"_

_Pain racked his body as he clung to the fabric of a shirt. He clenched at skin, at whoever was in front of him. The pain was beyond imagination, but somehow, the person in front of him, stable, solidly there, supporting him, made it seem less and less terrible._

_Looking into the face of the person who'd saved him from death, he relaxed and slept._

_He awoke to see the walls of an ice cold world collapsing around him. He was being held onto, but he strongly wanted to be let go. Again, he was content with dying if it meant that everyone else could live. Finally, the hand let go, and he breathed with relief. His heart nearly stopped when blood splashed across his face. He heard the arm him the ground before he saw it. Whoever had held him pulled him upward with one arm, as the world closed. _

_He felt disgusting, having needed to be saved in such a manner. He was worthless. He still couldn't see his savior's face, though. He strained his neck to get a good look, but it was impossible, everything was blurring too fast, he couldn't see a thing._

* * *

Fai awoke into the room he shared with Kurogane, tears streaking his face. He looked around in desparation for whoever had been saving him. The door opened slowly, and a dark figure entered. Fai noticed he had three more blankets than he'd had before, and Kurogane's bed had only one, as opposed to its original four.

The lights flipped on and Kurogane jumped slightly, seeing Fai awake. He looked around quickly, and Fai noticed a glass of water in his hand.

"You were thrashing around and calling out about wanting to die in your sleep, so I got you some water," he sighed, setting it down next to the magicians bed and flipping the lights back off.

"Good night, Kuro-nana," Fai breathed, sipping his water and laying back.

"G'night, idiot."

"I think it was you," Fai realized.

"Mmm, sure it was," Kurogane muttered sleepily.

Fai chuckled before closing his eyes again and letting sleep envelope him.

* * *

**A/N: R&R Please!**


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Complete

Summary: Kurogane has lost the stability in his life that kept things into a balance. Fai has escaped from what causes fear in his every moment. Matched up to complete each other's needs, their ideas and wants differ greatly, but each with an emptiness to fill, they complete each other.

Disclaimer: CLAMP owns TRC, not little old me.

Some Background Info: This story supposedly takes place in 1920-30 England, where the police department consists of pairs, an officer, who deals mainly with physical combat, and their assistant, usually a magician, who can take out an enemy while they aren't looking.

* * *

Throat parched from late night tears, Fai awoke, the subject of his dreams still fresh in his mind. The dreams had been so real, but he knew that none of it had happened. He had heard of some souls being connected to their own soul in another world before, but he didn't believe it to be true. He didn't believe his existence could be in multiple worlds at once. He remembered the strong arms that clenched his shaking body, that pulled him to safety, that he clung to while his body transformed to something inhuman. All these horrible things occurring, and one body there to hold him through it all, and he simply couldn't recall their face.

The man's arms though, they felt like Kurogane's. When Kurogane had carried him home after his collapse at the Four Leaf Clover, his arms were so secure. Fai had truly hated him then, for not listening, and for taking advantage of his trust. But the way he supported him, it was as if Kurogane was saying he would never let go.

The person in the dream felt the same way. No matter how much Fai wanted to be let go of for reasons unknown, those same, strong arms, never let him go. The more he thought about it, the more sure he was it was Kurogane.

No one else was awake yet from what he could tell. Fai slipped out of his bed, snuck past the sleeping officer, and into the main room. It was much warmer than the other house. A little kitchen was nestled into the middle, and there were hallways leading to other rooms. Fai raided the refrigerator to find eggs and bacon already inside.

He smirked, never having cooked before. it seemed simple enough, he thought. Why not give it a go? He had plans for their day, and a good breakfast would be necessary for them to stay energized. he quickly shuffled over to Syaoran and Sakura's room, peeking inside. Sakura lay in her bed, completely still, mouth open just slightly. Syaoran was sprawled out, blankets in a mess, and he looked tired, as if he'd been tossing all about in his sleep.

Fai felt worried for some reason. Something about them made him want to look out for them, as if he were their parent. Slowly, he closed the door to their room again, going back into the kitchen to attempt to make eggs and bacon.

With a sudden pause, he realized he didn't know how to use anything in a kitchen, and didn't even know the proper way to cook eggs or bacon. Their was a contraption with wood inside directly in front of him, which he figured was for lighting a fire which could then be used to cook. He rubbed his palm and blew a quick spark onto the logs, which caught quickly.

Cracking a few eggs open, he let them lay on the top of the contraption, waiting for them to be done perfectly any second. When nothing seemed to be happening, the magician frowned. Why was cooking so difficult?

* * *

Kurogane's senses alerted him to a disturbance when he smelt something charred in the direction of his door. A quick glance to the empty bed on his left told him all he needed to know. He threw off the covers, bolting into the kitchen in nothing but his boxers. The smell became stronger as he departed his own room and entered the next.

He spotted the magician attempting to figure out how to cook breakfast, several charred meals already scattered across the counter. He stood, gaping at the growing mess as Fai mutilated attempt after attempt to fix something to eat.

Stamping forward, he snatched everything from Fai hands, grabbed the utencils and swept everything off of the top of the oven. Making sure Fai was watching, he cracked the egg open, and let it sizzle for a moment or two. Fai watched in wonder, as Kurogane flipped the eggs, frying them to a golden bronze on the outer edges, and a center looking like it had been professionally prepared.

"Damn, magician. Doesn't know how to cook anything. House smells disgusting," Kurogane grumbled, dishing up the egg he'd prepared and putting another in the pan.

Fai smiled, slipping back into their room to change. He supposed Kurogane hadn't realized that he'd come out and exposed himself only in his underwear. Fai didn't know if that was trust, or simple forgetfulness.

"I don't want him to trust me," the magician whispered to himself. "I can't stay here forever. He can't trust me enough to make me stay."

* * *

Sakura awoke with an odd sensation that someone other than Syaoran had been watching her sleeping. She knew it was one of the older men, but she couldn't quite pin point which one it had been. She didn't sense any mal intention from the viewer, though. It was more maternal feeling. She liked the feel of whoever had watched her. It felt like home.

"Morning, Sakura," Syaoran mumbled through sleep. "I trust you slept well?"

"Very well, thank you," she chirped.

Both smelled a delicious breakfast in the next room. They burst into the main room to see Kurogane at the stove, mumbling to himself and cooking eggs. Hovering somewhere above the smell of fresh cooked eggs was the smell of fire.

Fai entered the room, dressed in his brown overcoat and black pants. He winked at the children before grabbing a plate of eggs and proceeding to inhale them without shame.

"We...have a lot...to do today..." he said between bites. "I've made...so many...plans..."

"Joy." Kurogane slid the last few eggs onto plates and blew out the fire in the stove, turning and realizing that he was in his boxers in front of, not only the children, but the too eager magician as well. Not showing embarrassment at all, he approached his room to change, and the children brushed it off. Fai, on the other hand, smirked before whispering;

"You must work out a lot, Kuro-rin."

Kurogane huffed, slamming the door behind him and throwing on a burgundy coat and pants, and a tie to go with. He wasn't looking forward to whatever insane day plans Fai had cooked up, and he certainly wasn't looking forward to acting like a babysitter for three children (at least two of them had an excuse).

He exited his room, straightening his tie, to meet three eager faces. Fai practically sprung from his seat, grabbing up the arms of their new members of the group and ushering everyone outside. He put on a bowler hat and locked the door before turning to face his utterly baffled group.

"Alright, my friends," he said eccentrically. "We start with a walk downtown for shopping!"

"You have the whole day planned?" Syaoran asked in curiosity.

Fai nodded excitedly, turning on his heels and skipping down the hill that led to their small house. His hair fluffed oddly under his cap, as if it were light as air, and he seemed to move with a certain confidence that Kurogane was sure the man didn't truly posses. He was more than a partner, he was a puzzle. Something that needed to be figured out. More than that, he was something split apart, who needed to be pieced back together to become whole. Kurogane knew that the magician couldn't solve himself. It was as if he didn't know himself.

The stores were coated in frost and the soft light of morning. Men were just walking out and opening up, cheery to see customers so early. Fai wouldn't pick one shop. He insisted that they visit each and every one.

"This one!" Sakura exclaimed.

The others had noticed her beginning to warm up to them. She would call out what she was thinking, and lead them on when she felt the need. Fai's internal instincts warmed at her cold barrier beginning to melt. She was such an innocent child, he thought. Untainted by life and its cruel realities. His heart seemed to clench as he thought of the extent of those cruelties. He wanted to be innocent, and untainted.

"Sure, Miss Sakura, we'll go in there. We have to go in every single one, right?" he smiled.

"That sounds like fun," she grinned, not noticing her fellow magician's change in tone.

But it hadn't gone completely unnoticed. Kurogane arched a brow, looking over his initial partner skeptically. He had been completely hyperactive and smiley only moments before, and suddenly, he sounded bitterly nostalgic, and every smile and movement seemed fake.

He let the two children make their way to the front of their small group, talking merrily, before he clutched the other man's elbow. Something in the back of his mind flashed. He saw himself doing the same thing, but in a completely different place. The were in a dimly lit room, Sakura and Syaoran tucked into beds. The room seemed worn down, but he could tell they were high up in a building. Something eerie and unnatural hovered over the entire scenery, as if something terrible dwelled nearby.

His vision flashed back to his current situation, where Fai was chuckling, looking at him nervously.

"What is it, Kuro-rin? That hurt," he teased.

Confused, the larger man shook his head and shrugged it off, moving forward. Fai looked after him, utterly caught off guard. He could've sworn that Kurogane had fully intended to question him about something. He had felt it in the man's aura. It was ready to interrogate him one moment, and then completely baffled the next. he didn't like the unpredictability issue Kurogane caused. It was as if, no matter what the magician did, Kurogane had another surprise.

"Fai, Fai!" Sakura called from the front of the group.

He pushed his way past Syaoran and Kurogane to meet the girl and see what she had wanted to show him. He could feel the heat of the larger officer's glare on his back, and shame filled him as he knew that Kurogane was suspicious. Kurogane had every right to be suspicious, but he just couldn't be. For Fai's sake, he couldn't be suspicious.

It was unexplainable how pent up his past was in his veins. More than anything in the world, he simply wanted to tell the other man everything. He wanted to tell everyone everything, but he had seen the effect of confessions in the past, and he couldn't do it again. From his experience, the truth caused more hurt and pain than lies.

"Oh my, this store is perfect!" Fai exclaimed, clasping his hands together and bursting in.

Kurogane reached out, attempting to catch the man before he sprung forward, but it was too late. He put his forehead in his hand, embarrassed that his partner had been the first one into the shop. It was, of course, a dress shop.

"Are you coming, Mister Kurogane?" asked Sakura's sweet voice.

He didn't mean to upset the girl, but his temper was rising quickly, and to accommodate, his rationality was draining.

"No way in hell would I ever be caught fucking dead in that shop," he growled.

Sakura frowned, eyes wide, before going into the shop quietly. The boy continued to stand by his elder officer.

"You not going in?"

"Do you trust Fai?" Syaoran asked.

"Not in the slightest, but he won't hurt her if that's what you're thinking," Kurogane sighed.

"I see. Then yes, I'll stay here."

"You really care about her, don't you, kid?" Kurogane inquired.

Syaoran's face flushed red at the words. Obviously he hadn't been expecting any sort of confrontation about his feelings for the girl. Kurogane smirked. The kid was innocent to an almost unnatural extent. He wondered how two young, untouched kids like Syaoran and Sakura had come to be caught up in the London Police Department.

"S-Sakura has been my f-friend since we were kids! Obviously I...I mean I...since we were kids!" Syaoran stuttered.

"You're both still kids," Kurogane chuckled.

"Of course, Mister Kurogane. I simply-" the boy started.

"Cut the Mister crap. But don't you dare try the weirdass nicknames," the officer sighed.

"Alright, Kurogane," Syaoran smiled.

The boy's smile was sincere, but pained, as if it were natural for him to force himself to smile. Like, sometimes when he was nervous, he smiled. He wanted to mean it, Kurogane could see it in the boy's eyes, but his smile was too accustomed to unreal happiness, he didn't know how to truly be happy.

"If you care about her, don't be an idiot, just tell her. She obviously likes you. I hate giving advice, but you aren't going to figure it out on your own with that thick skull of yours," Kurogane huffed.

"I don't think you're right, Kurogane. Sakura is a perfect person, and so kind and intelligent, and talented. She won't have any feelings for me."

"That's what I was talking about with your thick skull. Just do it, I'm not wrong."

Syaoran's eyes widened as he looked at the other man, who avoided eye contact with the boy. Without thinking it through, he bolted forward and wrapped his arms around the older officer's shoulders in gratitude.

"The hell're you doing?!" Kurogane roared.

"Thank you, Kurogane," Syaoran mumbled in appreciation.

* * *

"Oh, that one looks lovely, Sakura!" Fai smiled, applauding the girl as she emerged from the dressing room.

"Really? You think so?" she asked eagerly.

"Of course," he said warmly.

She went back into the dressing room, before emerging for a second time, dress in hand. She pulled out her wallet, but Fai stopped her hand, pulling out his own.

"It's on me," he chuckled. "Children shouldn't pay for their own clothing. It's an adults job," he chimed.

Sakura smiled, before agreeing and handing Fai her dress, complete with frill, vibrant colors, and a lot of fabric that had absolutely no purpose. As Fai took the dress from her hands, his vision phased from the little shop to a dark arena type room. A giant chess board was laid out before him, and Sakura was flying into nowhere.

And incredible urge washed over his body, pulling him forward and telling him what the necessity was. Fai couldn't understand what this urge was, but he pulled out his sword. Was there someone trying to harm Sakura? He was ready to defend her until the end of time, even after having only known her for a day. She was like a daughter to him, and he wouldn't let her go.

Suddenly, without meaning to, he sprang upward, higher and higher, thrusting his sword forward. He realized what he was doing only fractions of a second before he did it. Blood splashed over his arms, legs, stomach, and face, as he felt the sword crush bones and cut through the soft skin of his 'daughter'.

Why had he done it? He felt as if he were going to be sick. He held his stomach, tears flowing from his bloodstained eyes, mixing the crimson liquid with his sorrow. He still didn't understand. he was waiting for everything to fix. He wanted to return to the shop, where Sakura's warm smile was waiting for him, but the vision wouldn't go away. What else was there to see?

"Don't hurt anyone with that sword," one voice said, cutting through his despair like glass. "Yourself included."

Why couldn't he end it? Why couldn't he take his own life? It was his and no one else's, he could dispose of it if he wanted, but somehow the man's voice weighed more than his own mind. He couldn't force his hand to plunge the sword into his heart. He pressed his muscles as much as he could force himself, but it was futile. He could do nothing.

And then the warmth of the shop surrounded him, and Sakura looked up at him with worry.

"Fai, why are you crying?!" she asked in panic.

"I..." he felt as if he were going to be sick. The girl he'd just killed was worried about him. "We shouldn't keep the others waiting," he sighed with a broken smile.

The two groups joined each other, as Fai ushered them along down the street. He had wiped his eyes as roughly as possible, hiding any disturbances from the group, but, of course, one member would notice.

"What's with you? Now you've been crying?" Kurogane asked harshly.

"Of course not! Why would I cry on such a good day?" Fai chuckled.

"If you're going to lie to me, do it well, magician," Kurogane spat.

"Kuro-pon is smart!" Fai exclaimed. "Always knowing when I tell a little white lie. So I shed a few tears of joy that I get to spend time with people? I never have before, it's much more fun than I imagined, that's all!"

"Whatever. Don't think you've bluffed your way out of this conversation," he said. His words echoed a nostalgic feeling, but he brushed it off, continuing to move forward.

______________

Fai had chosen Tomoyo's hospital bed as the next stop. The girl was pleasantly surprised, and immediately took a liking to Sakura. She requested that Fai dig through her bag and found a pink hat inside.

"You...simply must...wear this...Sakura!" she wheezed, putting emphasis on the girl's name. "It's called...and Emmy hat."

"It's adorable!" Sakura squealed. "I love it, but I can't possibly take it from you!"

"It makes me...more happy to see it...on you than in my...bag," Tomoyo chuckled.

Kurogane leaned in a corner in the back of the room. He felt oddly uncomfortable. Everyone was being jolly and happy with Tomoyo, when there was obviously something amiss. Something with Fai was very wrong, and no one noticed. Why did no one notice but him?

And why did these glances of what seemed to be another life in another place keep occurring? They all involved memories of Fai he obviously didn't have. Above all else, he had to wonder who Fai really was. Was he Yuui, like the boy he knew when he himself was a child? Or was that someone else, and Fai's true identity was completely unrelated to the officer.

After the visit was finished, they visited the Four Leaf Clover, Kurogane and Fai ordering their respected drinks, and Syaoran and Sakura ordering something non-alcoholic. hey all sat outside, the night air and chill wind inviting them to relax after a long day.

Syaoran and Sakura chatted awkwardly, as Fai sat, watching the two intently. Unbeknownst to any of them, Kurogane watched his initial partner with the same intensity, studying him like a book, looking for some trigger. Something that showed weakness.

Fai stood, drink in hand, and smiled at the party.

"I think I'll go inside. You all stay out here though, I'm just a bit chilly," Fai half-sang.

Syaoran and Sakura waved goodbye before relaxing a bit and talking more naturally. Just going inside, my ass, Kurogane thought. He thought he was a burden to the situation so he excused himself to watch from elsewhere, Kurogane figured.

"I'm going to go, too," Kurogane grumbled, standing and chugging another gulp of his drink.

He glanced at Syaoran, and smirked, telling Syaoran to take heed of his earlier advice. Something along the lines of 'Do what I said or I'll beat you later'.

Syaoran nodded, and Kurogane entered the bar, walking past the bar stools as if he didn't even need to look for Fai there. He was on the roof, of course. Anyone who wanted a better view of lower action would go to the roof to watch. And Fai wasn't the type to miss anything, but he also wasn't the type to get involved.

As he reached the rooftop, he saw Fai sitting, knees pressed into his chest, watching the scene below him. The moon sat over his head, illuminating his golden blond hair that ran along his thin neck. His lean spine curled up over his legs, as he inhaled the night air.

Fai was truly a beautiful man. Kurogane had never had that sort of a thought toward anyone, man or woman, but one look at the magician finally at peace was truly a beautiful sight.

"I thought you would follow me," Fai chuckled.

"You just want a better view, right?" Kurogane sighed.

"Maybe, or maybe I was hoping you'd follow me, because you thought that's what I would do. Either way, you're here now, so what does it matter why?"

Kurogane walked forward, sitting nest to the magician cautiously. The moonlight blanketed his pale face, shining blue on his heavily lidded eyes, the color of his orbs a vibrant blue like a jungle stone.

"They have it all figured out, don't they?" Fai asked with a smile.

"With some assistance," the officer huffed.

"I suppose they did need some prodding."

"You're stalling. What do you really want to talk about?"

"I'm not being fair to you. You've done nothing but be hospitable and kind, and I won't even tell you my name," Fai sighed, closing his eyes. "And about today...well..."

Fai had two options. He always had two options. Tell the truth, or lie. He took a deep breath and decided.

"I've been having these strange premonitions, of what seems like another life. I see myself, or more like, I am myself, but these things happen to me that I know have never happened to me. And there's always another person there, helping me, keeping me alive, but no matter how hard I try, I can never see his face. But that doesn't change a thing, I know who he is, and that's you," Fai smiled.

"Really now?" Kurogane asked. "Well, that's interesting."

"So Kuro-pii hasn't experienced the same thing?"

"Not at all," Kurogane lied.

"I see."

"Why did you tell me all that? Did you drink to much? I knew we shouldn't have come here, when you drink, you give yourself away too much," Kurogane sighed.

"More like," Fai chuckled. "I haven't drinken anything."

Kurogane glanced at the magician's drink, and noticed it had just as much liquid as it had had when they purchased it.

"Is that out of mistrust or..."

"I wanted to make sure I told you the truth on my own terms before I drink my worries away," Fai smiled.

"What's your name? Your real name."

Fai's eyes widened, and he clutched his chest, closing his eyes tightly. He took a deep breath, before parting his lips slightly to speak.

"Yuui."

* * *

Oh my, what's this?! Ok, sorry this took so insanely long, I read x/1999, and was too depressed to write anything happy in the slightest. It was all depressing suicidal stuff. I had to scrap it and try again.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter is a lot of fluff, and a lot of filler, and not as much angst. Hints at Fai's past, though. I dare anyone who wants to try to guess the general gist of Fai's past. Thanks so much for reading, but more reviews would be nice. I need a lot to build on!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, CLAMP does, and they did a hella good job with it!**

* * *

Fai's eyes widened as he realized that he hadn't said the words...Kurogane had. The man's expression was serious as he stared down his magician. He hadn't made it up from no where. Somehow, Kurogane knew his name. Knew his _real_ name.

"H-How...?" Fai sputtered.

"Do you remember anything from your childhood? At all?" Kurogane asked. Fai could even say he almost heard hope clinging on to the depths of his tone.

"Please don't ask me about this," Fai said, eyes closed.

Before, the blue moonlight reflecting on the magician's near flawless face had been nothing short of beautiful, it now refracted all the pain and worry he contained behind his carefully constructed mask. He took a deep breath, before opening his eyes again to meet Kurogane's own crimson orbs in a far away gaze.

"If it troubles you, telling someone may be best," Kurogane grunted, attempting to give the man some sort of advice. He didn't truly understand the situation at hand. Something had obviously truly troubled the man at one point. It was unhealthy to keep something like that inside.

"I could say the same for you," he breathed. "I don't know a single thing about you except that your parents died and you like controlling me."

"At least you know that much. I know your name and that you know the real Fai," Kurogane mused.

Fai turned and let his eyes lock to the officer's. He smiled a smile that seemed broken, but whole at the same time. t wasn't completely happy, and definitely not content. There was more sorrow in it than happiness, but it seemed true. It was unlike other smiles the man had shown. It was sincere, and reflected the true Fai within him.

"I suppose we're the same, then? Someone who doesn't want to look back, but has to before they can walk forward?" Fai chuckled halfheartedly.

"I guess."

"I'll drink to that," the magician chimed. He lifted his untouched drink, encouraging his partner to do the same.

Kurogane lifted his drink as their glasses clanked together. Kurogane lifted the rim of the glass to his lips, drinking another few swallows, before stealing a glance at is partner. He could tell why the magician was hesitating, but he was definitely doing so. The blond was either looking at his reflection in the dark, depths of the liquid, or hesitating to drink it from memories of their last experience with such things.

With a smile to his partner, he lifted the glass and let the cool liquid slide down his throat as well, deciding that, even if he didn't tell Kurogane his secrets, he could at least trust the man to keep him safe for the time being. That was more than the magician had had before. He had never possessed safety of any variety, and it was almost terrifying, knowing that he was putting his wellfare in the hands of another human being. Leaning on another life instead of his own.

"You aren't going to drink the whole thing in one swallow this time, are you?" Kurogane asked.

Fai closed his eyes again, leaning back to let himself be supported by the roof they sat on. He listened to the low rumble of Kurogane's voice, as if it were a steady rhythm, like a far off drummer, playing just for him. Like his heartbeat, not loud, not brazen, but there; always there.

"Are you listening?"

"Kuro-rin, can you just...keep talking?" Fai asked in a whisper.

"Why? Are you falling asleep?" the officer questioned near impatiently.

Fai didn't respond, letting the enveloping coollness of the air cover him like a soothing blanket while he simply listened to Kurogane's voice all around him, in his ear like the ocean from a seashell. Or at least, how he imagined that would sound. He had never seen the ocean.

"Bastard." Kurogane muttered.

* * *

Syaoran looked at his magician partner in horror, as she hiccuped and rendered herself unable to walk in a straight line. He could've sworn that Sakura had only ordered a non-alcoholic drink. They were, after all, under the legal age to drink. She wasn't acting as herself, either, falling everywhere and giving off half-lidded smiles that borderlined lustfulness.

"Syao," she hiccuped with another smile. "Carry me home?"

"Ah, do you need to lean on me?" he asked her in concern.

He would lend a shoulder to her any day. He did love her, no matter how long it had taken to figure that out. He still wasn't sure if he was comfortable staying in a home where two men obviously slept together. Kurogane seemed like a father figure though, he wasn't overly passionate or affectionate in public, or even in front of anyone. Fai was the one with problems containing himself. It would take some getting used to.

"No, silly. Pick me up and carry me home? I dun wanna walk," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Sure," the boy smiled.

He walked over cautiously, as Sakura giggled, and, never taking his eyes off of her's, swept her up into his arms, carrying her from the outside area for minors. She continued giggling and smiling lustfully. She wasn't content with how Syaoran was holding her, it wasn't close enough.

"Syao," she breathed.

He looked at her momentarily before she reached up, grasping his face and pulling his lips to her own. He broke the kiss almost immediately, but Sakura reached up and caught his lips yet again. For all his efforts, this time, he simply couldn't manage to pull away. They stood, immobile in that moment, as the moon shone down between each other's eyelids. Her lips parted slightly, but Syaoran didn't know how, nor did he want to, take advantage of the situation. She was drunk, and this was already too far.

"L-Let's find Kurogane and F-Fai," Syaoran stumbled over his words as they tried to escape his lips, which were unbearably close to Sakura's.

* * *

"Let's go home, idiot," Kurogane mumbled, looking at his completely relaxed magician counterpart.

Fai seemed serene and peaceful, his face untroubled by horrific pasts and troublesome situations. Calm looked good on him, Kurogane thought.

_What the hell is wrong with my brain lately? Why am I always thinking about how he looks?_

"I suppose it's getting late. Those children shouldn't be up so late," Fai breathed. "But I just want to stay here."

"Are you drunk off your ass? You're on a rooftop in the freezing cold. Why would you want to stay here?" Kurogane grunted.

Fai smiled, before pushing himself up and looking around in a daze. He looked as if he momentarily forgot where he was and who he was with. He went to stand, before stumbling and nearly tumbling from the slanted roof. Kurogane caught his forearm, tugging him upward into the officer's chest.

"Maybe I've had a bit to much to-" Fai began before being thrusted upward and onto kurogane piggyback style.

"Yeah, you're drunk off your ass. Guess who called it," Kurogane mused darkly.

"Kuro-tan is so strong!" Fai giggled.

Kurogane eased them down the step ladder back into the bar, all eyes on the man and his passenger. Fai waved at the customer's as the two departed, while Kurogane turned his head and glared forward at the door. If he was going to get a reputation for being like Toya and Yukito, he might as well enjoy it, he thought.

"Kurogane, Fa-" the brown haired boy started, running into the bar. He looked at the set up of the two men, before smiling nervously and glancing at his own handfull. Sakura was now sound asleep, her hand still idly twirling Syaoran's hair in her pettite fingertips.

"Can't she walk on her own?" Kurogane asked.

"Somehow, she ended up with an alcoholic drink instead of the one she ordered. She can't even walk in a straight line," Syaoran breathed, his tone full of panic.

"Well, that's wonderful. Let's get home and get her to bed."

"f you don't mind my asking, can't _he_ walk home?" Syaoran asked with a half-smile, pointing to Fai atop Kurogane's back.

"His alcohol tolerence is pathetic and he's too much of a lazy ass to even attempt to try to walk. If I could leave him behind, I would," the officer sighed harshly.

"Kuro-pon makes me so sad!" Fai exclaimed. "He doesn't sound like he loves me!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "You're even more annoying when you're drunk than when you're sober," he scoffed.

"Do you think we can find a cab at this hour?" Syaoran asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure we can. Then we won't have to walk," Kurogane stated.

All four reached the night air once again. They stood, waiting the sound of a cab. Finally, a cab pulled over for them, and swung it's door open...to reveal two seats.

Syaoran smiled. "You two can take the cab, I'll carry Sakura the rest of the way home," he volunteered.

"No you won't. This isn't a great part of town, and walking around with an unconscious girl is probably the worst mistake you could make, especially since you aren't exactly intimidating," Kurogane explained, shoving Syaoran and Sakura into the cab and paying for their ride quickly.

As Kurogane continued forward, silence settled between the two men. it wasn't uncomfortable, but contented. They had discussed and come to understand enough of each other for that night, and a satisfied silence rested between them, as if knowing that they would learn more later was enough to make the little they knew now tolerable.

"I don't remember much," Fai began with a deep breath. "From my childhood. I've made one huge choice in my life, and it made a lot of difference in how my life has played out, but before that decision, I don't remember a lot."

"If you don't want to tell me anything, you don't have to," Kurogane grumbled.

"My brother, Fai, and I were close. I remember that. I remember that we didn't talk to many people outside of each other. But when he died, I think I died, too. Not in the literal sense, but in the spiritual sense. Only recenly have I lived again. Syaoran, Sakura, Yuuko...You. You all make me feel like I'm living, not because of some unattainable goal, but because life is worth it," Fai half spoke, half hummed.

_Does he start blurting out secrets every time he drinks, or is it just coincidence?_

Kurogane smirked, realizing that this time, he didn't have to do anything for the blond to tell him all of that. It was all his own choice.

"I've...been seeing a few things, too," Kurogane said, attempting to sound as cool as stone about his previous lie. "Like a parallel life. You're always there, sometimes the kids are too. I don't know, I just thought I'd let you know," he muttered.

Fai leaned down the officer's spine, his chin resting into the larger man's shoulder, his lips at Kurogane's ear.

"Thank you, Kuro-tan."

* * *

By the time the two reached their home, Syaoran and Sakura had already fallen asleep long ago, and Kurogane entered his and Fai's room, throwing the blond onto his bed before climbing into his own.

"Kuro-pii, I feel guilty now," Fai teased.

"Why this time?"

"Because I lied."

"About?"

"Drinking," Fai chuckled from his own bed.

"What do you mean, I saw you drink your drink, and I saw the empty glass when we left."

"When Miss Oruha delivered our drinks, I swapped Sakura's with mine. She needed to loosen up a bit, Syaoran needed a little help telling Sakura how he felt, and i didn't want to forget whatever we talked about, so I decided alcohol would be a bad choice."

Kurogane could literally _hear_ the smile in the magician's voice.

"So you walking around like you were completely wiped out?"

"I didn't want to walk, I was tired, Kuro-rin. Not to mention, I wanted to show off my good acting skills!" Fai chuckled.

"Yeah, you're real funny. So all those things you told me on our way back were true?"

"Completely. It's not fair for only me to know. It's not fair for me to be lying and avoiding all of this, when you've given me a second chance at life, and share everything of yours with me. I suppose I'm beginning to learn quite a bit from you..." Fai mumbled dreamily, before obviously trailing off into sleep.

* * *

_Horror racked his body as he looked at the mess before him. The boy held the blond in his hand, blood everywhere. It was dangerous, pits and eroding pillars everywhere, but he felt his legs bolt forward before his mind was able to tell him to stop._

_Kurogane saw the origin of all the blood. He didn't understand where he was, or what the situation may have been, but he shoved the blood splattered boy away, grabbing the blond into his arms, and clutching him tight._

_A protective sense washed over him, and he held Fai even closer, blood soaking into his white shirt. No way in hell was the dangerous kid getting his hands back on the mage. He would die before he handed him over. Suddenly, a fit of rage enveloped him, as the reality of the situation bore into his weary mind._

_His eye was completely gone, and the bastard wanted the other one as well. He pulled the man until he was facing away from his assailant._

_Words flowed from his mouth, but he couldn't hear them. He couldn't understand what he was saying, but rage was boiling, heating, bursting inside him. He shouted something, which had no effect on the boy._

_Something had told him, though. Something had tipped him off that the feeling was more than protection. Some sort of bond, whether eternal or not, was keeping them together. He wouldn't ever let another hand touch the mage but his own. He swore it._

* * *

**I'm so sorry this is so short. I wanted to post it tonight, but i was falling asleep!**


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